Club 0013
by Chibizoo
Summary: When Mutou Yuugi realizes that the powerful government called the Authority is masking the truth about his society, he abandons his friends and life to search for these secrets. Dark secrets that were perhaps better forgotten… *Last Chapter up!*
1. Game Over

*****  
Author's notes: (sorry they're so long...)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Sailor Moon  
  
This is going to be mostly a Yu-Gi-Oh! centered fic, with a bit from   
Sailor Moon, since I write too much about the latter ;P I wanted to   
keep the rating below NC-17 (since I'm not that age yet!), but I   
might have to change it, as this story contains a bit of shonen-ai (boy-  
boy love) and suggestions of rape. Yu-Gi-Oh (commonly written as   
"Yami") does not exist (yet) because this story takes place in an   
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, with some loyalties to the Yu-Gi-Oh!   
plot line (second season), such as the appearance of Duel Monsters.   
Anything Sailor Moon-based will be introduced later on and in small   
amounts, so to keep the Yu-Gi-Oh readers happy ^_^.   
  
*******  
  
~ Dream sequences~  
  
**********  
  
Chapter 1: Game Over  
  
~Angels are said to have wings. Beautiful, brilliant wings of   
purest white, soft and downy to the touch, glittering like virgin snow.   
They are said to have a golden radiance and bring with their gaze a   
sense of perfect serenity.   
  
If this was true, then Mutou Yuugi had just seen an angel.   
  
She came to him, walking silently on feet that never touched   
the ground; her light, fragile body borne by large wings a swan   
would envy. Long golden hair fluttered like twin streaks behind her,   
tied from the top in equally symmetrical buns. A single crescent   
moon glittered on her forehead, and her eyes were the purest of   
sapphire.   
  
Yet, it was not her beauty nor angelic peace that enraptured   
Yuugi so much. There was something about her, something ageless,   
almost priceless. For a moment, she held her gaze towards Yuugi,   
looking at him with eyes that pierced his deepest thoughts. A tingle   
ran through the young boy's body as she continued to gaze into him,   
and he squirmed, writhing uncomfortably under her inspection. It   
was as if she was ruthlessly rendering his every memory and action,   
eyes leaving nothing behind as she judged his soul. And then, as fast   
as it came, it was over.   
  
Yuugi gasped, gulping in heavy breaths of air as he dared   
himself to breathe again. His large violet eyes stared in both awe and   
fear at this angel.   
  
And the angel smiled.   
  
:You have passed.: ~  
  
*****************  
  
Mutou Yuugi was a kind and considerate boy, one rather   
short to claim to be 14 years of age. He was not overly special or   
adept in any manner, other than having an unnatural kindness and   
happiness wherever he went. Some would say that was a sign of   
innocence while others a sign of naïveté. Even there, some would   
claim him to be more...  
  
The object of such scrutiny had just finished dressing,   
having gotten up in the morning at a grand hour of ten o'clock. It was   
a beautiful Sunday morning, made more beautiful by the fact that   
usually, there was no school on Sundays. Oh no, Sundays were   
reserved for something more challenging than school.  
  
Yuugi covered his mouth as he yawned, opening the door   
and peeking into the grand wonders of whatever lurked outside his   
bedroom. Taking a few tentative steps, he eventually got the hang of   
walking even in his half-awake state, politely closing the door to his   
room behind him. The boy quickly paced into the washroom,   
combing his untidy hair, which was a wonder all in itself, with its   
golden bangs and spiky dark-red tendrils of hair. It was therefore no   
wonder when the boy sighed a bit, tossing a can into the garbage. He   
had run out of hairspray.   
  
*********  
  
By the time Yuugi had managed to leave the house, having   
been fretted over by his mother and grandfather until his gentle   
nature was thoroughly exercised, the said character met up with his   
friends, at the local arcade.   
  
"Yo Yuugi, what's up?" Asked a tall teenage blonde, on of   
Yuugi's best friends, also known as Jounochi.  
  
Yuugi shrugged. "Nothing much. Not unless you count the   
fact that I set my alarm clock to the wrong time."  
  
Another boy on the side, this one with a strange failure-of-a-  
mohawk styled brown hair, Honda , could only scoff in reply. "You   
mean, you kept us all waiting about two hours due to an alarm clock   
failure?"  
  
The only girl in the small group, Anzu, with clean trimmed   
shoulder-level brown hair, the only person who had a successful   
hairstyle, shrugged. "Oh well. Two hours isn't that bad, especially   
since I beat Jounochi at Duel Monsters about 10 times in a row."  
  
At that comment, Jounochi began sulking. "I swear, she   
cheated! There's no way anyone could win 10 times in a row!"  
  
"Not unless you happen to be dueling you, Jounochi."   
Anzu retorted, folding her arms and rolling her eyes.   
  
Yuugi laughed, smiling gently. "You guys really like Duel   
Monsters, if you could play that game for two hours straight."  
  
Jounochi only pouted in response. "I wouldn't have lost 10   
times to a cheating Anzu if it weren't for you being late."  
  
"WHAT was that?" Anzu glared at the taller boy angrily.   
But wisely, Jounochi had already left the arcade, leaving the girl   
realizing that she was actually talking to herself.   
  
**************  
  
"So, how has it been going, Yuugi?" Honda asked, as the   
quartet made their way into a park, having nothing else to do.   
  
Yuugi shrugged. "The same thing, I guess." He sighed.   
"Life's so boring these days, that you wonder if its all an illusion,   
that there is actually a true reality out there that we can't even grasp   
at."  
  
Jounochi had question marks in his eyes. "Huh? Man,   
Yuugi, speak normally will you?"  
  
"Mmm." Yuugi failed to make a comment further than that.   
Every time he had brought this conversation up, he had gotten the   
same result - and not just by his friends. Everyone he met, everyone   
he questioned, seemed stuck in a utopian dream of their own, with   
their own futures and goals and idyllic personal desires. Nothing   
more than that. But Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi, began to wonder - was   
there anything that life offered that wasn't predictable?  
  
It was too easy. All the good people were congratulated and   
rewarded and eventually got to be famous or get good high-paying   
jobs. All the people who were bad were punished and severely   
disciplined. Some of them were never heard about again, but that was   
fine, since it didn't affect his life, or the lives of anyone else. Oh no,   
for when a person disappeared, they were simply not talked about.   
One could almost call it a taboo.   
  
Secretly, Yuugi wondered what it would be like to have a   
society where the people who lived in it made the rules, not the   
restrictive and secretive Authority. He had read stories in the past of   
strong races of men, who had built their kingdoms on the belief of   
equality and individuality. There was nothing like this here. The   
main goal here was to conform, and accept the Authority, bow down   
the Authority's power, kiss the Authority's feet and bend to its will.   
It was sick enough even for a kind soul like Yuugi's to snivel in   
disdain.   
  
Yet, that wasn't the most piteous part. No, it wasn't even   
close to the most piteous part. The worse part was... no one cared.   
They simply did not care whether or not there were governed or the   
fact that their every actions were consistently monitored and judged.   
Those who failed were the Untalked about. Yuugi's father had   
disappeared that way. And because talking about his father was   
simply unmentioned, Yuugi was forced forever to dwell on his secret   
in silence. It hurt the poor boy, but he knew he had to do it. To   
prevent himself from getting into the same situation.   
  
"We're all being duped. Our Authority is doing a great job   
turning us into mindless zombies." Yuugi finally concluded, only   
realizing too late that he had said it aloud.   
  
Jounochi, Honda, and Anzu gaped at him, each of them   
putting a hand over the younger boy's mouth.   
  
"You want to be caught?" Anzu hissed, her angry voice   
hiding her fear. "Look, I know what they did to your dad, but if you   
don't wise up, then you're next."   
  
"Please, Yuugi, take it easy and act cool." Jounochi looked   
at the younger boy with sad eyes. "You have to, not just for your   
sake, but for our sake, as a friend."  
  
Yuugi swallowed hard. He hadn't meant to say such things,   
and he definitely didn't want to get his friends in trouble. Pushing   
away such horrific thoughts, he nodded, trying to understand.   
  
For a moment, the quartet looked around, as if expecting to   
be hanged or suddenly captured and sentence at that moment. All that   
happened was several seconds passing, followed by the warm   
sunshine and cool spring breeze.   
  
Suddenly, a glint of white hair caught Yuugi's eyes, and he   
looked up to see a friendly face walking his direction. Another friend   
of his, although a bit more distant, named Ryou Bakura, was making   
his way towards them. Despite the warm spring weather, the white-  
haired boy had a sweater on, wearing on his face an even warmer   
smile.   
  
"Hey guys!" Bakura greeted, cheerfully ignorant of what   
had just previously taken place between Yuugi and the others. "How   
is it going?"  
  
Yuugi chose his words carefully. "Fine." He grinned back,   
although the emotion felt mechanically plastered. "Just fine."  
  
Honda, Jounochi, and Anzu gave similar shows of   
agreement.  
  
For a split second, as Yuugi looked at Bakura, the white-  
haired boy's expression seemed to drop, from a pleasant smile to a   
silent plea for help. Yuugi could have sworn he saw the other boy's   
lips curl a bit in contempt before everything flipped back to normal   
and Bakura was just Bakura, smiling as always. The sun shone   
warmly overhead.   
  
Yuugi blinked. He wasn't seeing things was he? Although   
sometimes a dreamer and an idealist, Yuugi wasn't known to live on   
surreality. And yet, the thought of Bakura snarling or even for a   
moment dropping that guile face of his was simply impossible. In   
fact, Yuugi could hardly imagine the white-haired boy squishing a   
fly, needless to say snarling or plotting revenge behind someone's   
back. Even with all his confirmations, Yuugi was still dubious.   
Appearance was the strongest form of deception.  
  
The young boy followed his friends as they laughed and   
soaked up the sunshine, teasing each other or simply frolicking and   
letting their body gestures describe their joyful actions. Intimate   
actions weren't rare among them, since they were meant only to be   
pure and innocent. _Meant_  
  
Yuugi panted as he lay down on the grass, letting the cool   
fragrance waft its scent, his hair slightly damp from the mid-morning   
dew. He watched with amusement as he picked a blade of grass with   
one hand, ripping the fragile material into one-half and again and   
again, until it was no more than a stain on his finger. Such a simple   
and delicate strand the blade of grass was, so unaware of everything   
around it. Yuugi sighed, trying to clear his head of that sudden   
intrusion. Why was he thinking such strange thoughts anyway? Why   
couldn't he just act normal, act _happy_?  
  
Soon, Bakura fell onto the grass with a soft "thump"   
laughing rather exhaustedly. The white-haired boy, whose hair was   
amusedly stained slightly green due to the grass, turned to face   
Yuugi. Anzu, Jounochi, and Honda were still gleefully chasing each   
other, the girl screaming rather shrilly while the other two simply   
laughed and chuckled away her teasing threats.   
  
For a moment, Bakura looked at the antics of the trio before   
turning to face Yuugi.   
  
Yuugi, although he wasn't looking at Bakura, felt the other   
boy's eyes on him like a set of hot coals. He shuddered under the   
gaze, turning towards the white-haired boy.   
  
Slowly, Bakura crept under the shadows, his pale face   
suddenly darkened and hallowed without the luminescence of the   
sun's rays. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly shut it,   
afraid. Twice he did this, before finally mustering enough courage to   
try. "Yuugi," he voiced, his tone carrying a quiet but serious   
implication. "I've come here to warn you."  
  
Yuugi blinked. For a moment, he thought that Bakura was   
joking, and was about to laugh a retort when he realized that Bakura,   
although often cheerful, hardly ever joked. The young boy   
swallowed, his golden bangs falling a bit over his face, as they often   
did when he bowed his head in surprise. "Warn me of what?" A dry   
tongue rang along suddenly dry lips.   
  
Bakura sighed, leaning his back against the tree trunk, who   
was currently providing the white-haired boy the wanted shade.   
"They..." His voice, which was quiet already, suddenly dropped   
even lower. "Yuugi. They're after you."  
  
"After...me?" The last word Yuugi repeated was   
emphasized incredulously. "What for?"  
  
For a seemingly kind and gentle boy, Bakura surely   
provided plenty of surprises. This one came in the guise of a flat   
look. "You know why Yuugi. They know about you. They know that   
you are aware."  
  
"Aware?" Yuugi protested. "Aware of what? I haven't done   
anything!"  
  
Bakura's eyes looked sadly into Yuugi's light-violet ones.   
"Exactly. You haven't done anything... yet." Looking at Yuugi's   
startled expression, the white-haired boy continued. "That's the   
problem. All of them, those who choose so or not, never knew so at   
the beginning. You're not the first, Yuugi. But you have been offered   
it now, and so you must choose."  
  
Yuugi's expression was one of bewilderment and confusion.   
"Choose what?"   
  
Bakura plodded on, face expressionless. "There are two   
sides to this.. ah.. lets call it a game. Yes, a 'game' will do. The side   
you know of, the one with your sunshine and utopia-desiring   
Authority is one... player of this game. Of course, most games   
require at least two players. Or, rather, one player, and one   
opponent."  
  
Yuugi didn't like where this conversation was carrying, but   
hid his surprise. "So.. who's the opponent?"  
  
Bakura's face turned away, as if he didn't want to talk   
anymore. The white-haired boy's figure seemed to cling to the   
shadows, the very fabric of his body rejecting light. "In the end, does   
it really matter? What matters the most is the Game. Play the Game,   
Yuugi. You have to play. If you don't... then, you'll be lost forever.   
Just like your father."  
  
"My father?" Yuugi's eyes widened. "What happened to my   
father? Do you know?" His voice grew in intensity at the end, angry   
and threatening.   
  
Face still turned away from Yuugi, Bakura shook his head,   
silvery-white hair flying in momentary disarray. "He was one of the   
few who choose not to play."  
  
Yuugi clenched a fist angrily. "If my father didn't choose,   
why should I?"  
  
Bakura turned his head, and gave Yuugi a long, hard stare.   
"If you don't, the price is much worse. Much, much worse."  
  
*****************  
  
Yuugi turned on the shower, setting the water to the hottest   
level, and spraying the liquid across his bare body despite the   
awesome heat. His mind was somewhere else, lost in the   
conversation with Bakura. What was happening? Why was his life   
suddenly beginning to flaw? It must have been some joke. It was just   
too ... stupid... to be anything else. Yes, a joke, Yuugi reasoned,   
blissfully unaware of the water falling on his back, stinging his skin   
with an intense heat until it sweltered a reddish hue. He would wake   
up tomorrow morning, go to school, and everything would be just   
like how it was. Yuugi nodded as he came to that conclusion, turning   
off the shower with a satisfied smile. Yet, if he was indeed satisfied,   
what was that strange tugging feeling in his heart?  
  
Yuugi tossed in his bed for the umpteenth time, his large   
eyes peering blindly at the dark-covered ceiling of his room. The   
spiky-haired boy checked his alarm clock, watching the flashing red   
symbols illuminate their significance. 2:00 am. Definitely too early -   
or too late, depending on how one looked at it. After trying countless   
methods of trying to back to sleep, Yuugi finally concluded that his   
mind simply wouldn't cooperate. The boy sighed. What he really   
needed now was some fresh air, away from the confinements of his   
room. Taking safety for granted as he had always done before, Yuugi   
grabbed a jacket, deciding last-minute to bring a wallet in case he   
wandered too far and needed a taxi or bus home, assuming they had   
taxis and busses at this hour.   
  
Silently, Yuugi slipped out of his bedroom and out the front   
door, thankfully waking neither of the two other residents of the   
household. He sighed in relief as he walked out the front door, taking   
a few breaths of fresh nighttime air to clear his thoughts and perhaps   
reflect on them.   
  
Yuugi had noted that Bakura had never answered who the   
opponent to this "Game" the white-haired boy had make an allusion   
to was. What disturbed him deeply was the fact that he had been   
unaware and so blissfully ignorant of these clashing forces. But...   
why? Again, Yuugi thought about the two forces of the "Game". One   
of them was the society he lived in, the Authority. The other, a   
mysterious unknown and most likely shadowy power. And neither of   
them fascinated the small boy.   
  
A cold wind blew past Yuugi and he shivered, pulling his   
thin blue jacket closer to him. Overhead, the moon rose, its crescent   
shape reflecting like an alluring smile. Nighttime in his   
neighbourhood was a silent and sacred ritual, one that most tended to   
ignore as they lost themselves to the endless daytime of their dreams.   
The darkness and foreboding atmosphere of the night was a force to   
fear, and curious children were often discouraged with tales of   
lurking monsters not to even peek past their doorway after the   
sundown. Therefore, the streets were completely isolated, illuminated   
only faintly by flickering lamplights that shone dubiously under the   
dense darkness.   
  
"This really sucks." Yuugi muttered out loud, kicking his   
foot angrily against a metal staircase. Big mistake. As his foot made   
impact, a loud hollow sound rang out, screaming like a million tin   
bells.   
  
The boy jumped back in surprise, freezing in stance while   
wishing fervently that the sound would simply disappear. He   
definitely didn't want to wake anyone up, and even in a   
neighbourhood as sheltered and protected as his, there was always   
the chance that....  
  
"Well now, what did we pick up here?"  
  
The spiky-haired boy's eyes widened as he realized that he   
was no longer by himself. He stared blindly at the shadows, looking   
for the source of the voice.   
  
"Awww... it's a cute little boy." The same voice declared,   
rather obnoxiously, with an air of both contempt and superiority.   
"Should we kill him, or have some fun with him first?"  
  
Yuugi gasped as suddenly, an arm grabbed him from   
behind, a powerful hand wrenching his shoulder so that the small boy   
was face to face with a cloaked figure. Panic rang out in his mind,   
and he flailed his limbs madly in an attempt to escape. The figure   
only laughed, harshly tightening his grip on Yuugi's shoulder until   
Yuugi realized that his feet were no longer touching the ground.   
  
More cloaked figures began to assemble around Yuugi, as   
the boy's breath caught in his chest, paralyzed with fear. They   
seemed almost inhuman as they circled Yuugi, smelling and gazing   
at him like a pack of hungry wolves.   
  
"Wait a moment..." The main leader of the group, the figure   
that was holding Yuugi, loosened his hold on the boy. "I know you."   
Another pause. "Yes, I know you indeed."  
  
"S-sorry." Yuugi muttered, stuttering in his fear. "I - I think   
you have the w-wrong person."  
  
The figure's other hand went to the clasp on his cloak,   
removing the hanging material to reveal a tall youth, with dark   
burning eyes and unruly hair, the colour indistinguishable in the   
darkness. And Yuugi realized, with a heart that both sank and rose at   
the same time, that he indeed knew who the cloaked leader was.   
  
"Bakura." Yuugi stated. He took in another breath to steady   
himself while his eyes looked pleadingly at his friend. "What are you   
doing here?"  
  
Bakura, Yuugi's friend from school, only sneered, one that   
flashed in Yuugi's mind as a sudden déjà vu. "Sorry Yuugi. I'm not   
the Bakura you know."  
  
Despite all his fear and shock, Yuugi still had his deep sense   
of puzzlement. "What do you mean?"   
  
Bakura dropped his hold on Yuugi, watching the small boy   
fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Still sneering, the white-  
haired boy walked up to Yuugi until his face was only inches away   
from the smaller boy's. Yuugi tried to back away from the menacing   
figure, only to realize that he had already reached the wall. Spacing   
himself as far away from this not-Bakura as possible, Yuugi took a   
good look as his friend. This Bakura was indeed different, his slanted   
eyes and face contorted maniacally, hair splayed out in a demonic   
fashion. Fake-Bakura smiled, and Yuugi almost fainted then and   
there as he realized what lay under those dark lips. They glinted like   
the purest of snow and gleamed like dull ivory. Bakura had _fangs_.  
  
"Something wrong, Yuugi?" Bakura smiled as he saw   
Yuugi's violet eyes widen even larger, obviously enjoying the fear.   
The white-haired youth then brought his face closer to Yuugi, one   
hand holding the smaller boy down to prevent him from escaping   
while the other slid under Yuugi's chin grabbing the small boy's face   
and forcing him to tilt his head upwards.   
  
"Bakura, stop it." Yuugi's voice choked in his throat, wide   
eyes pleading as he struggled with his free hand to remove himself   
from the demonic boy's grasp. His struggles proved useless as   
Bakura moved lifted Yuugi's head even higher to force Yuugi to   
stare straight into the taller boy's eyes.  
  
"Remember what I said, Yuugi? How you had to choose?"   
Bakura's voice rang out even within the chaos of Yuugi's mind,   
surprisingly mild and calm. "This is it. Choose now. Even better..."   
Bakura was now close enough to Yuugi's face that they could feel   
each other's breaths rise and fall from their mouths. "I'll Choose for   
you."  
  
At that moment, the logical, reasoning part of Yuugi's mind   
took over, as did panic. Adrenaline rushed into the younger boy's   
body as he screamed at the top of his lungs, crying, calling, pleading   
for help while tears brimmed in his eyes, blurring his vision.   
  
Oddly enough, Bakura let the smaller boy scream,   
watching with flickering amused eyes as he effortlessly pinned   
Yuugi down even with all the renewed ferocity. "Sorry Yuugi." His   
lips curved into a lopsided smirk, revealing a single fang. "Game   
over."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened as he felt his screaming cut off, and   
reacted by choking, his lungs protesting from the sudden lack of   
oxygen. Even the function of breathing became vague as Yuugi   
realized exactly _what_ Bakura was doing. The taller boy's lips were   
firm and warm to the touch, hard pressed against Yuugi's own lips,   
forcing them to do Bakura's bidding. Tears fell down like droplets of   
ice from Yuugi's wide eyes, soaking their contact, as Bakura held   
Yuugi in a forceful embrace of lust. For a moment, Yuugi felt a   
strange desire to push back, to force his own lips harder against the   
taller boy's. That desire faded as fast as it came, leaving only a blind,   
mindless stupor in his wake.   
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Bakura pulled   
away, his face glistening a bit from Yuugi's own tearstains. There   
was a pause as Yuugi's mind began to restart itself, blindly trying to   
release the shock and bewilderment. And then, bile rose in the   
smaller boy's throat as he realized what exactly had happened. Ryou   
Bakura had kissed him. Not just a nice friendly kiss, but a deep,   
forceful kiss. Bakurahadkissedhim. HehadkissedBakura.   
  
Oh.  
  
My.  
  
God.   
  
Unfortunately, Bakura seemed to have plans other than just   
a simple kiss, as Yuugi felt his shirt collar being ripped open by   
powerful hands. Yuugi's small bare chest was revealed as Bakura   
yanked even harder, scattering the buttons like pieces of candy on the   
ground.   
  
Yuugi was beyond the point of struggling, even beyond the   
point of reacting as his mind fell into a state of complete stupor,   
refusing to seek and understand. The only thing that shone from the   
small boy's mask of shock were streams of glistening tears.   
  
"Hmm... you look absolutely...." Here, Bakura paused, his   
one hand still cupping Yuugi's jaw with his thumb and index finger.   
The white-haired boy eyes Yuugi's neck, almost appreciatively. "...   
Delicious."  
  
With only that warning, Bakura brought his face into a   
semi-snarl, revealing the full length of his savage ivory-white fangs.   
And with as much grace as the previous kiss, the taller boy tilted his   
own head until it touched Yuugi's prone neck, a rough tongue licking   
the surface. Abruptly, his tongue stopped at a corollary vein running   
along the smaller boy's neck, and he viciously clamped his jaws   
down exactly where his tongue had pinpointed. Yuugi let out a   
muffled cry as he felt a pair of sharp daggers suddenly pierce his   
neck, burrowing deep into his soft flesh. And Bakura ignored the cry   
as fresh crimson blood dribbled down his chin, his head never   
moving from their position as he drank hungrily.   
  
Yuugi convulsed in agony as Bakura greedily consumed the   
smaller boy's vital fluid. The agony grew until Yuugi could feel only   
the pain. His body was on fire, and his head light and dizzy from the   
loss of so much blood. Gratefully, Yuugi fell into the darkness, not   
caring if he ever woke again.   
  
  
**************************  
  
Okay... that's it for this chapter.   
  
You're welcome to review, and I would love it if you included some   
information on how the Duel Monsters card game works... since I   
only know so much... Arigatou! 


	2. New Game?

**********  
  
Hey! Its me again ^_^. Usual disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or   
Sailor Moon.   
I was so surprised by all the positive feedback @.@. Thank you very   
much everyone!!  
  
Extra notes:  
  
Yami-kun: Thanks a lot for the basic information! I was unaware that the   
actual card game had 8000 life points *.* cause in the anime, they play   
with 2000 pts.   
  
Fiery Charizard: What possessed me to write Yami-Bakura as a vampire?   
… it's a trend that you hopefully will understand in the next few   
chapters…   
  
_ _ NC _ _: Arigatou for telling me about "YuGiOh Dungeon"… I   
actually have the site, but you're right -it takes WAY to long to load.   
  
Yeld(): -_-;;; okay, so I've been lazy in the updating…. I DO have other   
fanfics to update (looks guiltily at my 'Jaws of the Leviathan' fic) but   
thanks for the extra encouragement!  
  
Shadow Weaver: Actually, I read "The Giver" about five years ago,   
stealing a bit about their Utopian society to indirectly reflect ours'   
(Yah!!! We're all being conformed! *Panics and runs away*.)  
  
Special thanks to Smeghead and Audacity for tolerating my rants on   
MSN… anyone else wanna join my rants? You can find me at   
chibizoo@hotmail.com via MSN ^_^.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"…Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face."  
  
*********************  
  
Chapter 2: New Game?  
  
"How's our patient?"   
  
A petite girl with dark turquoise hair turned towards the source   
of the voice before looking back towards the person lying on the bed. She   
was wearing nursing robes, and was currently checking the IV tube   
attached to the patient. "Not good, I'm afraid. He's lost a lot of blood, and   
it doesn't seem to be regenerating."  
  
The other person, a tall short-haired sandy blonde, sighed,   
shaking her head. "How bad is 'not good', Ami?"  
  
The 'nurse', Ami, put away her glasses, taking out a clipboard of   
paper on the side. "His heart is weakening by the moment, his blood   
circulation is minimal, there's almost a vegetative response in brain   
activity. If this continues, not enough oxygen will get to his lungs."  
  
The sandy-blonde whistled in a low tune. "In other words, he's   
already dead."  
  
Ami glanced at the small patient on the bed, feeling a deep pity   
for the child. He had not even seen the prime of his life, and already, he   
was to be taken away. Her dark blue eyes traveled from the patient's face   
to the exposed neck, where twin puncture wounds lay vertically. "What I   
don't understand is why he's not recovering. Even infants who have   
suffered the bite from a vampire usually live, no matter how severe." She   
frowned, contemplating while she studied the boy, from his small childish   
frame to his strange hair, with blazing golden hands and spiky layers of   
crimson.   
  
"Bet you Bakura's behind this." The other deduced, bored look   
on her face. "Frankly, I'm surprised that Bakura actually was decent   
enough to not drain they boy dry. His victims usually don't survive to tell   
the tale."  
  
Ami sighed. "I don't like this at all. I found this kid exposed to   
the public on a nearby alley. Good thing I was able to find him and clean   
off all his blood before anyone else did – can you imagine what the   
reaction of the public would be?"  
  
The other chuckled dryly. "You worry too much. The Authority   
will definitely cover it up. You know how they work." She sneered   
disdainfully at the mention of the name. "I can't believe that humans   
would buy into all that Authority crap."  
  
"It's all about power, isn't it?" Ami proposed, knowing the   
answer already. "Two sides. One light. One dark. And both with such   
radical plans, locked in their Game of control." She looked at her gloved   
hand, flexing it absently. "Look at this hand, Haruka. It's a _human_   
hand. It's a hand just like any other human out in that Authority-ridden   
society. Yet, if I am a human and can notice these things, why doesn't   
anyone else?"  
  
"It's as you said." Haruka, the other, reasoned. "There are two   
sides. We've managed to escape from the blinding Light of the Authority   
to actually accept the reality of the Dark. As pawns of the Dark, we must   
fight. Fight for our rights and freedoms. Fight against the Authority. The   
Game of the struggle against their conformity will be ours to win."  
  
Ami said nothing, but turned her gaze to the sleeping patient.   
"Poor child." She murmured, stroking the boy's soft crimson hair. "Little   
do you know that your life is disappearing with every breath you take."  
  
"So?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Now that we know he's   
virtually almost dead, what are you going to do with him?"  
  
The blue-haired girl paused, internally debating with herself,   
chewing her bottom lip anxiously. Finally, she sighed, one of solemn   
decision and regret. "Even if he lives, there's no way we can just turn him   
back to the Authority. There's no normal life left for him anymore. "  
  
"There's no life for him if he becomes one of us either." The   
taller blonde interjected.   
  
Another sigh. "Yes." Ami finally admitted. "But I sense a   
powerful soul within him, one that will give us what we are missing. One   
of possibility."  
  
Haruka glanced dubiously at the boy. "Do you think he can even   
last ten seconds, with such a frail body and naïve mind?"  
  
"You know he can't." The nurse grabbed a jacket, turning to   
leave the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Haruka demanded, surprised by the   
sudden action.   
  
Determined deep blue eyes shone back. "I'm going to ask   
permission to get him a Talisman."  
  
Haruka's eyes widened. "But…" She spluttered. "Even if he got   
the permission, he… it… there's no Talisman that will fit such an   
innocent… child!"  
  
Ami responded in a flat tone. "You are forgetting the Talisman   
of Possibility."  
  
If it was possible, Haruka's eyes widened even further.   
"Masaka…" She commented, holding one hand against the table to steady   
herself.  
  
"Yes." Ami replied, tone harsh and cold. "Also commonly   
known as the Millennium Puzzle. If my prediction about the boy is true,   
then another Game King will arise again."  
  
"And the stakes between the Game of Light and Darkness will   
also rise." Haruka concluded, tone solid and morbidly foreshadowing.   
  
*******************************  
  
They say that dreams reflect your innermost desires. They say   
dreams represent images of what has occurred, altering them to the   
distortion of the dreamer's will. Yet, those dreams are lies. True dreams   
lie in the power of the unconscious and in the power of understanding.   
  
~ Yuugi looked at the gigantic seascape in front of him. He was   
standing on a grassy cliff, high above a sparkling deep-blue ocean as the   
wind tossed his hair, filled with the lingering scent of seaweed.   
The cloudless blue sky shone overhead like a sapphire jewel, the sun an   
endless point of light, infinitely bright.   
  
"Isn't it beautiful?"  
  
Startled, Yuugi turned around to towards the source of the   
comment, to lock eyes with the most exquisitely beautiful face he had   
ever laid eyes on, made even more so by his remembrance of her. "You   
are- you are-" Yuugi frowned, trying to place a name on her. "Are you an   
angel?"  
  
Light chiming laughter rang out, soft and powerful. "Perhaps. In   
this Dream, I can appear as whatever you wish me to be."  
  
Yuugi thought about that intently. "I think I would like you to be   
an angel." He concluded, innocence in his voice.   
  
Here, the angel only smiled. "Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't   
be one, would I?"  
  
"I guess not." Frankly, Yuugi was confused, not sure of what she   
was trying to hint at. He decided to be blunt and open with this beautiful   
angel. "Umm.. why are you here anyway?"  
  
The angel spread her large wings out wide, some of the feathers   
scattering with the wind, making her figure even more majestic and   
impressive. "What is my purpose? Ah. That is always the question that   
people ask. What is the purpose of everything?" Large sapphire orbs   
gazed into Yuugi's eyes. "I come here to give you a choice."  
  
The moment those words faded, Yuugi's mind snapped. He was   
no longer in this beautiful dreamland seascape, but instead, plunging   
headfirst into an endless black pit, a fiery inferno churning and dancing   
around him, the flames licking his body. Even as he was falling, he could   
hear a dark voice chant "Game over" over and over again, until the sound   
was unbearable and Yuugi screamed for it to stop.   
  
And, as fast as it came, it was over. Yuugi was back on the cliff-  
top, eyes dilated with fear as he gasped uneasily.   
  
"A choice." He croaked, voice unsteady. With a strange sort of   
jerky nervousness, he licked his suddenly parched lips before breaking   
into insane laugher. "Choice. Are you trying to mock me? There are no   
choices in this world, except those that others choose for you."  
  
The angel didn't move any closer to the smaller boy, but her   
presence seemed to grow and multiply until she seemed vastly infinite.   
"I'm not asking to make a choice for you, Yuugi. I'm asking _you_ to   
choose."  
  
Yuugi took in a few breaths, trying to calm himself, and calm his   
strange outbursts of anger. He contemplated on what the angel had just   
said, and more on what she really meant. Had she meant all that she had   
said? Or had she said more than she had meant? Another deep breath   
ensued as Yuugi found himself simply to confused to contemplate any   
further. "What options… do I have, in this… choice?"  
  
"Possibility." One word was all that needed to be said. "You can   
either have Possibility," here, she pointed to herself, touching her heart,   
"Or, a definite End." And here, she pointed to the sea that lay at the   
bottom of the cliff.   
  
Yuugi snorted derisively. "Yeah. You're letting me choose   
between either death or joining you? You're no better than Bakura was."  
  
Once-sapphire blue eyes clouded into stormy darkness. "What   
seems evil is not always meant to be so, Yuugi. Bakura, too, had the same   
choice offered to him."  
  
Yuugi looked at the sea, at its power, its deceptive calmness. He   
knew that beneath those depths was a snare waiting to snap, waiting to   
claim him for his prey. And yet, this angel – did he really want to be   
trapped even further, forced to obey what the angel desired? "What   
happens if I chose neither, if I just want to go back to my original life?"  
  
"I'm afraid that someone has already taken that choice from   
you." The angel bowed her head, golden hair shimmering in disturbance.   
"I'm sorry."  
  
He could end it all. A shadow was creeping over Yuugi, one of   
indifference and personal agony. He knew that in the deepest recesses of   
his mind lay the turmoil that Bakura had created, sealed for fear of   
understanding. Yuugi wondered if he ever wanted to release it. An End   
would definitely put an end to that.  
"What would you do if you were me?" The boy's voice was simple and   
plaintive.  
  
The angel hesitated. "I would choose the path with the most   
Hope." She finally replied. "For even in the darkest corner of the mind,   
there is always Hope."  
  
Yuugi nodded, finally coming to sudden conclusion, showing no   
regret but a determined resolution. "Then, I choose not your Hope, but   
your Possibility. For only in possibility is their hope."  
  
And the angel smiled. "Thank you." Gently, she spread her   
wings out towards Yuugi, slowly walking towards the child and covering   
him under her feathery touch.   
  
Yuugi felt a heavy object fall on his chest, and he looked down   
to see a large golden pyramid-shaped object, tied loosely to his neck by a   
simple brown rope. A light-headedness filled him as he gazed at the   
strange necklace, lost in the design of a single Eye emblazoned on one   
side of the golden pyramid.   
  
The angel crouched down until she was face-to-face with Yuugi.   
"Keep this Talisman, Yuugi. For this will show you the path of your   
choice and this will grant you your Possibility. But remember: this   
Talisman is only Possibility – nothing more. You must treat it   
accordingly."  
  
Yuugi nodded, clutching the large object with both hands. It   
glowed vaguely, warm to the touch. "Does this talisman have a name?"   
He asked, curious.   
  
Here, the angel laughed, as unexpected as the question Yuugi   
had fired. "Yes. It has had many names. Does it really matter?"  
  
"No." Yuugi admitted. "But I was just curious – "  
  
"- I know." The angel interrupted, smiling enigmatically. "But if   
you want, you may call it the Millennium Puzzle." Here she paused,   
contemplating. "Yes, it likes to be called that."  
  
"The Millennium Puzzle." Yuugi repeated. What failed to grasp   
beyond his dreaming mind the source of the name. ~  
  
Simply said, in a dreaming mind, one cannot fully distinguish   
between what is possible only in reality and what is possible in dreams.   
  
*****************************  
  
Yuugi woke up to a strange mechanical beeping sound. Slowly,   
he blinked a few times before groaning and attempting to turn over. This   
proved to be a costly error as a sharp pain shot up his hand. Startled, the   
small boy glanced towards the source of the pain, raising his hand a bit to   
see a thin visible tube sticking from it. Immediately, Yuugi panicked,   
trying to pull or rip it off.   
  
"Don't take it off!" A voice warned, deep and firm to the tone.   
  
Yuugi looked around, trying to identify the source. There was no   
one in this room. Confused, he looked again, searching the closed   
doorway and then behind the bed he was lying on. No one. Shrugging and   
dismissing the matter, the boy began ripping of the bandages that sealed   
the strange tube in place, ignoring the small jolts of pain.   
  
"You're going a good job of killing yourself." The same voice   
commented. "If you keep it up, you might just succeed in dying, knowing   
your poor condition."  
  
Irritated, Yuugi snapped at the voice. "Well, if you're so smart,   
why don't you tell me what this is!" Here, he pointed towards the tube   
with his free hand, not having the time to speculate whether he was crazy   
or not for talking to no one.   
  
"It's called an IV tube, and they were commonly used about   
2000 years ago, basically to sustain enough food an nutrients in your   
body." The voice continued, in a lazy drawling tone. "By the way, you   
_are_ talking to yourself, you know. Well, technically."  
  
Yuugi wondered if they really did have this technology 2000   
years ago. All he remembered from his history textbooks was a rather   
primitive understanding that the humans of the past had been extremely   
ill-ridden and faulty, often catching strange illnesses or "colds". Since his   
society never suffered from illnesses or problems in health, he really   
didn't understand the entire "health care" concept beyond the words of a   
textbook. Usually, when humans lost blood, they would automatically   
recover. To damage a human beyond recovery was unheard of. And that   
was exactly, Yuugi deducted, what Bakura had done.   
  
"Smart kid." The voice muttered, continuing some words in a   
language Yuugi didn't understand.   
  
Yuugi was still confused. "If I'm talking to myself, how come I   
can hear you?"  
  
The voice, although physically invisible, seemed to shrug. "You   
might be hallucinogenic."  
  
"I got a better answer." Yuugi concluded. "Since you can hear   
my thoughts, that means that you must be me – or, at least a part of me.   
Therefore, I can't see you because you are part of me. But since you're so   
different, I can talk to you. Which makes you a separate part of me."  
  
"Perhaps." Was the glib reply. "But I do have a physical form,   
you know."  
  
Yuugi looked around for the umpteenth time. "I don't see it." He   
said.  
  
"Over here. The mirror." The voice responded, sounding   
exasperated by now.   
  
Yuugi turned to one side, careful not to dislodge the strange "IV   
tubes", as the voice had called them. Expecting to find a reflection of   
himself, he saw someone else glancing back, arms crossed around his   
chest. Yuugi jumped back in shock, almost falling off his bed.   
  
The reflection in the mirror smirked. "But you are right. Just   
because I have a physical manifestation doesn't mean that I'm real. I'm   
only real through you."  
  
Yuugi stared at the strange reflection in the mirror. The   
reflection _did_ look a lot like him, albeit somewhat taller and physically   
mature in posture, with almost cruelly glaring crimson eyes and   
shimmering golden bangs that matched each streak of spiky crimson hair.   
As the reflection smirked in an odd half-smile, Yuugi could see what   
seemed like a sharp white tooth poke out from the upper lip.   
  
"Then… do you have name, or are you 'Yuugi' too?" Yuugi   
asked, confused. Again, he couldn't understand how this reflection could   
be even part of him if he was so different.  
  
"I'm only different because you've never been in touch with   
your Darkness." The reflection muttered. "And if your name is Yuugi,   
then yes, I would be called Yuugi too." Another coy smile followed. "I   
told you. I am essentially you, after all. Just your other side. The side that   
you keep hidden."  
  
"The side I keep hidden." Yuugi echoed, frowning a bit. "My…   
Darker side?"   
  
"I guess you could say that." The reflection nodded.  
  
"Then I know what to name you." Yuugi answered, smiling a   
bit. "If I'm innocent and unaware, then I am the Light. You are the foil to   
my light, my Darkness. Therefore, I shall call you… Yami. Yami-Yuugi."  
  
The newly named reflection shrugged in indifference. "If you   
want it, then so be it, Aibou."  
  
"Aibou?" Yuugi questioned.   
  
"I'm your yami, so I must protect the light. In my protection, I   
claim you to be my soul bonded, my Aibou."   
  
"Uhh.. okay." Frankly, Yuugi was confused at the term, but   
treated it as a positive word. "I guess." He yawned, suddenly tired.   
  
Yami-Yuugi looked at the younger boy from the mirror and   
frowned. "You're pathetic, you know."  
  
Yuugi was too tired to protest, rubbing his eyes to keep himself   
awake. "How so?" Even his words were a bit slurred.   
  
Yami-Yuugi muttered something that sounded suspiciously like   
'stupidly naïve' before dropping what he had planned to say. "Forget it.   
Go get some rest. You are wearing yourself down, you know."  
  
"Mmm." Yuugi nodded sleepily, having not really heard what   
his yami had said. He snuggled into his blankets, without a care for the   
world. "G'night."  
  
Yami-Yuugi looked at the glowing Puzzle on Yuugi's neck   
before disappearing into the recesses of Yuugi's soul, the secluded part   
where his darkness lived. As he did so, a strange glowing pattern, in the   
same design as the "eye" on the puzzle, glowed on Yuugi's forehead   
before disappearing altogether, back to where it came from. The rest was   
simply history.   
  
******************************  
  
Yuugi woke up, shivering slightly despite his sweating body. His   
body felt like it was on fire, heated with the deepest lava pits while frozen   
by the depths of the coldest arctic storm. Even worse, a strange hunger   
was building inside him, gnawing his stomach like an empty black hole,   
desiring only to consume, to be filled. The boy groaned, curling into a   
fetal position in order to dissolve the nauseous hunger. He blinked a few   
times to steady his wavering vision, as everything seemed to change into   
one massive blur. Vaguely, a part of him realized that those "IV tubes"   
were no longer connected to his hand. Let's just say that that vague part   
of him was also grateful.   
  
//Idiot// A voice muttered in Yuugi's head.   
  
Yuugi started. He quickly glanced at the mirror, but saw only his   
startled refection back.   
  
//I'm in your mind// The voice, no doubt Yami-Yuugi,   
commented. //It saves your energy this way.//  
  
Yuugi felt his body prickling with oversensitivity, almost like a   
million dull-edged needles were forcefully driving themselves on his   
skin. He shuddered, still sweating and freezing.   
  
//You're starving yourself, you know.// Yami-Yuugi   
commented.   
  
Yuugi tried to talk, but found himself too weak to mutter   
anything beyond the simplest moan. His muscles twitched almost   
uncontrollably, causing the small boy to collapse back into bed. Vaguely,   
he could hear his yami curse in his mind.   
  
//Yugi.// Yami-Yuugi said, voice dangerous. When he got no   
response, he tried again. //YUUGI!!//  
  
/Mmm?/ Having no energy left, Yuugi voiced the comment   
weakly in his mind.   
  
//Listen to me, Yuugi. There's something that you're missing,   
kind of like lacking something… its complicated to explain but   
basically… umm… ah heck!// Yami-Yuugi gave up trying to explain   
things the 'gentle way'. //Just follow my instructions and close your   
eyes.//  
  
Yuugi did so, without too much difficulty. /'Kay/ He weakly   
responded.   
  
//Yuugi, I'm going to… take control of your body. Can you let   
me do that?//   
  
The small boy stiffened a bit at that comment, even through his   
delirium. Take control? This was unexpected. Yet, if his yami was   
essentially him, then there wouldn't he any arm, right? Yuugi hoped so.   
/All right./ He finally consented.   
  
A grunt came from the other side of the conversation, and   
suddenly, Yuugi felt a strange disconcerting feeling, as if he was   
suddenly plucked from his body and set into a strange room bathed of soft   
white light. True, he was still dizzy and nauseous, yet, the "room"   
sheltered him from the physical world of his body, a cozy sanctuary   
where he could still see from his physical body's eyes, yet watch   
indirectly the actions of his body. Like observing someone else taking   
control for him. However, seeing that he was still alive and had a   
conformable room in to sleep in, Yuugi curled into a small ball, promptly   
drifting off into a dreamless sleep.   
  
Yami-Yuugi stumbled a bit as his darker soul manifested itself   
into the body. He had managed to change the physical structure slightly to   
the shape he wanted it, although he was unsure whether it was him who   
made the change, or the body which responded to him and changed.   
Either way, Yami-Yuugi was grateful that he wasn't delirious – and also   
that he wasn't some odd two feet high like Yuugi – which would make   
his task-to-be easier.   
  
Brushing one experimental hand over his hair, Yami-Yuugi was   
amused to see that it stood up so stiffly. It had been a while since he had   
acquired a physical form, and this new one was both intriguing and   
familiar. Almost… right.   
  
Before he had become Yuugi's yami, he had always just been an   
essence, unaware and uncared for. The origins of his creation or even life   
in the past – assuming that he had had one – were completely unknown,   
or simply shrouded in mystery. What was known was that he _was_ a   
form of Darkness, often becoming the other half of a Chosen individual,   
one that excelled in a certain power. Yet, the last one that had been   
Chosen for him had failed, one that compared to Yuugi, was a leviathan   
to a seal. And yet, this body fit him like a second skin, the physical form   
and alter-soul oddly echoing in familiarity. Yami-Yuugi decided to   
contemplate on that when he had the time. Right now, there were more   
important matters at hand.   
  
Gratefully, the sole window the room was unlocked, and Yami-  
Yuugi easily slid it open, leaping out the window, a good five stories   
above the ground. Any normal person would have perished from the fall,   
but Yami-Yuugi was far from normal. The Millennium Puzzle around his   
neck being to glow softly, and the symbol of the "eye", the Sennen eye,   
emblazoned itself upon his forehead.   
  
Yami-Yuugi landed on the ground with the grace of a panther,   
scanning with weary crimson eyes the scene around him. Things had   
changed since last time, and he would have to be on alert for the changes.   
Briefly, he touched the pointed incisors that often pierced the soft flesh of   
his lips, almost in awe. Yes, things had definitely changed.   
  
With inhumane speed, he ran, footsteps making no sound along   
the pavement. It was just a bit past sundown, marked by the lazy golden   
streaks that shot vainly against the night sky. The time when his kind   
arose to hunt their prey. He would have to hurry to avoid their contact, as   
he knew his presence would only cause chaos.   
  
Briefly, Yami-Yuugi looked around, trying to spot human   
contact. Upon realizing that he was on an empty street, the darker Yuugi   
leapt with ease into the air, onto the rooftop of a two-story building, not   
even grunting with effort. He then took off, gliding over rooftops in a zig-  
zag fashion, dark-blue cloak billowing behind him with a life of its own.   
  
Two minutes and half a city later, Yami-Yuugi landed with the   
same grace on the tattered outskirts of a small suburban community, nose   
held in the air in search of a scent. He closed his eyes, concentrating as   
the currents of wind relayed to his senses a million pieces of information.   
  
"Hey you there."   
  
A voice interrupted the yami's thoughts, although he already   
knew about the presence. He ignored the comment, eyes still closed in an   
almost meditative state.   
  
Yami-Yuugi didn't open his eyes until he realized that he was   
being pulled by the front of his shirt, until he was face to face with a   
snarling figure. His crimson eyes flashed for a moment in anger, but then   
easily suppressed it, never losing his indifferent expression.   
  
"What are you doing out at a time like this?" The figure who   
was holding him was a tall man, easily almost twice the height of Yami-  
Yuugi. "Don't you know it's dangerous at this time?"   
  
Yami-Yuugi shrugged, playing the naïve and innocent.   
  
"Man," The person continued, "If the Authority catches you at   
this time, you are SO dead."  
  
Yami-Yuugi remained silent.   
  
The person shuddered a bit in the darkness. "Geez, its really   
cold." He then set Yami-Yuugi back on the ground, rather roughly. "All   
right kid, you better get home. Next time, I might not be here to warn   
you."  
  
Yami-Yuugi remained where he stood.   
  
"Are you deaf, kid?" The man was getting angry. "I said,   
move!"  
  
Eerie crimson eyes glowed like twin coals, blazing with a   
strange hunger. They challenged the dull black eyes of the other man,   
unrelenting.   
  
"Do you play the Game?" Yami-Yuugi asked suddenly, voice   
firm and darkly commanding.   
  
The other person looked at him with a mixture of confusion and   
fear. "G-Game? What game?"   
  
Yami-Yuugi continued to glare, judging and analyzing the taller   
man like a prize. "The rules are simple. You choose any challenge you   
want and I accept. If you win, you get whatever prize you claim. If I win,   
I get whatever price I claim."  
  
The other looked at him like he was insane. "And what if I   
refuse?"  
  
Fangs glistened from under ruby-red lips. Yami-Yuugi grinned.   
"There is no refusal."  
  
Mesmerized, the man trembled, trying to stay tough. "Well then,   
I challenge you to this game." He took out a large gun by his belt,   
clicking off the security. "I fire three shots. If you don't die within three   
shots then you win." He felt that the boy would definitely refuse such a   
challenge, as guns were considered both dangerous and lethal.   
  
Yami-Yuugi simply shrugged indifferently. "As you wish." And   
he leapt towards the taller man, panther-like.   
  
The man with the gun reacted immediately, firing one shot after   
another. The sound of each bullet echoed and rang along the empty   
streets, emitting hollow sound as each one bounced harmlessly off the   
floor. The man's aim was true, and his ability to move and react to Yami-  
Yuugi's motions almost inhumane.   
  
Yet, Yami-Yuugi was faster, sliding along the darkness like a   
shadow, his cloak and dark clothing blending subtlety amongst the depths   
of the alley. Only his glowing eyes and the strange glint of the puzzle   
around his neck revealed his position. Another volley of shots rang out,   
and Yami-Yuugi leapt into the air, landing horizontally against a firm   
wall and using it as a boost to gain momentum. He twisted in the air as   
more bullets rained past him, falling silently onto all fours and then   
quickly backflipping over the man. Faster than the eye could follow,   
Yami-Yuugi had the man pinned down against the ground, wrenching the   
taller man's arm over his back with inhumane strength. The gun clattered   
and skidded harmlessly against the rough pavement away from the two.   
  
"I think you've had more turns than you vouched for." Yami-  
Yuugi whispered quite neutrally into the man's ear. He brought his mouth   
closer to the man's ear, smelling and enjoying the obvious fear as the man   
realized that he couldn't even move a finger under the yami's influence.   
Cruel lips formed into a smirk as Yami-Yuugi pulled the man's shirt   
collar down, revealing a sweaty and rather odourous neck. But he didn't   
care. He didn't have the time to choose.   
  
For a moment, Yami-Yuugi stepped away a bit from the man,   
almost in revulsion. The man relaxed as Yami-Yuugi loosened his grip,   
thinking that he had been spared.   
  
But the world was a deceptive place, and everything in it an   
illusion. Yami-Yuugi sneered, and suddenly, his hands tightened around   
the jaw, nails burying into the skin and drawing points of crimson blood.   
A desire was burning within him, fueled by the same desire of his 'other'.   
With the last remains of his self-control, Yami-Yuugi glared at the face of   
the foolish man.   
  
"I won."  
  
And then, with the reflexes of a snapping serpent, he buried his   
fangs into his prey, loosening his hold a bit to let the blood gush warmly   
into his mouth. The liquid carried lingering scents of sweat and grime, but   
the taste was ecstatic, sweet and reviving like a spring of infinity. Yami-  
Yuugi pushed his weight against the body, forcing more liquid to travel   
towards the neck, like squeezing a tube of paste. He knew that the man   
would be internally screaming, begging, pleading, and most of all, numb   
with fear and pain. And Yami-Yuugi enjoyed every moment of it.   
  
Yet, pleasure is a short-lived thing, and everything that begins   
must always end. With a great reluctance and control that surprised even   
himself, Yami-Yuugi pulled away from the limp body of the man. He   
licked his lips, washing them over his teeth to taste the last remains of the   
succulent liquid. Snorting disdainfully, Yami-Yuugi looked at his   
unconscious prey, wondering what to do. He pulled closer to the man   
again, ignoring his desire for more. No, this man had to live; otherwise, it   
would arouse to much suspicion. Placing his index and middle finger   
against the two puncture holes on the neck, Yami-Yuugi closed his eyes,   
invoking his ancient magic, a power that supposedly died millennia ago.   
The Puzzle glowed in response to Yami-Yuugi's command, and he stood   
there, fingers pressed against the man's neck bites as time passed. Then,   
rather abruptly, he stood up, jostling his ruffled cape so that it fell neatly   
behind his back. And, as quickly as he had come, he disappeared, leaving   
nothing in his wake.   
  
The once-conscious man woke up, rubbing his aching head   
while wondering what on earth he was doing lying there in the middle of   
an alley. His head was pounding like a million hammers set to a gigantic   
anvil, and a he felt drained, as if he had lost a lot of blood.   
  
"Last time I go out to drink that this time." He muttered,   
stumbling a bit as he tried to walk. The tall man pulled his collar up   
against his bare untouched neck, shivering a bit. "Brr… it is just me, or is   
it getting cold?" And with the same strain of ignorance, he stumbled and   
ambled away, walking in a rather mystifying zig-zag pattern.   
  
****************************  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
**Anzu says:**  
  
Anzu: In this chapter, we learned that uh… Zoo can't spell? (reads script)   
Oh yeah, we learnt _that_ in the last chapter, when she kept on spelling   
Jounochi's name wrong.   
  
Jounouchi: See! She did it again!  
  
Anzu: (sweatdrops) Aaaaanyway, the moral for this chapter is "if you're a   
vampire, don't eat anyone really sweaty, cause they might give you bad   
breath."  
  
(Image of Yami at a grocery store buying some Trident)  
  
Anzu: (sighs and throws away script) I can't believe I'm doing this,   
considering that none of us is getting paid overtime.   
  
Yami: (pops in) We're not? Then, what is this contract for anyway?   
(points to contract he's holding with a GIGANTIC golden official seal at   
the bottom)  
  
Anzu: (reads the contract) " Trident corporation, in association with   
YuGiOh!, has hired YuGiOh, aka Yami-Yuugi, to promote their sales   
services through public advertisement." (frowns) Trident? Zoo works for   
Trident?  
  
Zoo: I do?  
  
Anzu: -_-;;; I guess that Trident finally found out about the stupid Yami   
fan-people.   
  
(The 'stupid Yami fan-people' – mainly girls but some guys – run Anzu   
over in their frenzy to buy Trident)  
  
********************************  
  
^_^ () Okay, I have nothing for or against Trident – I just felt   
like poking fun at the end. Wow! This chapter was REALLY long!! We   
haven't got to any truly graphic stuff yet, as this chapter was mainly an   
explanation and build up for the next. Ahhh.. I was in heaven after I   
found out about the translations for the YuGiOh manga online =^.^= I   
still think Yuugi's cuter in the anime though – especially the movie! Eee!   
I want a Yuugi! (Zoo prances off with Yuugi in one arm, being chased by   
the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! cast). 


	3. Learning to Duel

Author's notes:   
  
I do……………………….*ahem* NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
I spent my entire long Easter weekend reading fanfics until my eyes look   
like this -- (-_-)  
But, there are some REALLY good Yu-Gi-Oh fanfics out there ^^ I   
know I include a lot of unnecessary junk in my fics, but that gives them   
a dual meaning - the story, and what Zoo is really trying to hint at ^_^!   
Hey, if "Kakou naka Hakkyou" can write about psychology, why can't I   
too?   
  
Eevee muse: That's cause you aren't as good as that author!  
  
@.@;;; Please don't ruin my delusions of grandeur.   
  
And again, thanks for all the positive reviews and feedback! If I stand   
here all day writing author's notes, I'll have to do a really long chapter   
as penance, so I better run! JA!  
  
Note: ~ this represents a dream/dream-flashback sequence ~  
  
****************************  
  
"To dream, ay, perchance to dream…"  
  
****************************  
  
  
Chapter 3: Learning to Duel (A/N: It's not my fault - my Eevee muse   
absolutely refused to edit it for me when she realized that I had   
originally called it "To Duel or Not to Duel" *scratches head* I wonder   
why not…)  
  
Often, the best dreams are the ones that disappear upon the   
touch of reality. They are the ones that grip on the unconscious spirit of   
the soul, echoing a thousand soothing whispers in a universally hidden   
language. If that was the case, then Yuugi had just had an excellent   
dream. The young boy stretched in his bed, sleepily rubbing his eyes as   
they slowly opened themselves, squinting against the morning rays of   
the sun. It was a beautiful day, as Yuugi could see through a massive   
window that covered a good one-fourth of a wall. Vague shapes of   
children flew past the window, and Yuugi could hear snatches of their   
conversation, although it was, of course, menial.   
  
The small boy shook his head. Was life just like that – every bit   
as menial as it seemed? Was there even a purpose to life? True, Yuugi   
had everything he could possibly desire: friendship, excellent school   
grades, perhaps the only thing that had hindered his life was lack of   
height, although his society made sure that he was treated equally.   
  
So, and again he found himself traveling back to the same   
question - why should he change? Why would he want to leave his   
idyllic, perfect, life, with idyllic, perfect people? And since the   
Authority gave him both protection and shelter, shouldn't he be grateful   
for it?  
  
And yet, he wanted more… he knew that the Authority was   
hiding something, a secret he was only beginning to grasp at. It was a   
puzzle, really. The Authority was hiding a vital piece of information   
veiled by their utopia, which Yuugi could only snatch at, puzzle piece by   
puzzle piece. And none of them connected quite properly.   
  
//You've got a very analytical mind, you know.// A familiar   
voice commented in Yuugi's mind.   
  
Yuugi made a face, blushing a furious scarlet. He had forgotten   
that his Yami was still there. It made him embarrassed to know that his   
darkness could pick up everything he was thinking. And he didn't even   
know his Yami that well!  
  
//You will.// Yami-Yuugi seemed to smirk as he said this.   
//Looks like I'll be stuck as part of you from now on.//  
  
Yuugi scratched his head. /No offense or anything-/ He began,   
wondering how he should word his comment.   
  
//-None taken// Yami-Yuugi interrupted with a mental smirk.   
  
/Anyway/ The "light" continued, /I know that you are my   
Darkness and everything, but how did you suddenly appear? More so –   
why?/  
  
Yami-Yuugi shrugged, the mental image appearing in Yuugi's   
mind. //I wish I knew.// His voice bored into Yuugi's mind, tone dead   
serious. //Everyone has a Yami, but only a few are chosen to _realize_   
their Yami. In a way, when I was re-created, you lost some of your soul.   
That was the part in conflict with your naïve heart – the darkness. That   
darkness manifested itself into me, and gave me a personality as well as   
an awareness of the life around me. Without part of your soul, I would   
be still dormant, living within the Millennium Puzzle. //  
  
Yuugi jumped a bit, startled. /You mean, you _lived_ in the   
Millennium Puzzle?/  
  
The darkness sent a tone of confirmation. //I have lived there   
longer than your great, great, great -// He paused, deciding that that was   
too many "greats" for him to say, //Anyway, as long, if not longer than   
your ancestors. Although I have seen brief periods of light, none were as   
brilliant or as remarkably promising as yours'. That's because you are   
my true Aibou, the only one worthy of my presence.//  
  
Yuugi simply gawked. /You mean, you've been part of others   
too? ./ He proclaimed, musing a bit on the complications of such an idea.   
It was too hard for his brain to figure out. /How long have you waited   
for me, anyway?/  
  
//About 8000 years// The darkness proclaimed, sounding   
nonchalant.   
  
Yuugi's jaw dropped lower. /That's…/ He paused, trying to   
remember some of his history by counting back on the timeline. /That's   
since the time of the Ancients!/  
  
// I believe that it was called Ancient Egypt// His Yami   
corrected, delving into Yuugi's memory bank to retrieve the mutual   
information.   
  
/Egypt!/ Yuugi repeated. He frowned. The country had ceased   
to exist about 1500 years ago. Well, his Yami in essence _was_ older   
than that… /Hey, did you ever have a life before you became ..uh..   
dormant in that Puzzle?/  
  
//Perhaps.// Yami-Yuugi seemed to genuinely not know, or was   
just good at faking it for some undisclosed reason. //All I know was that   
I was once Pharaoh//.   
  
Yuugi blinked. /A what?/  
  
//An Egyptian king was called Pharaoh back in the old days//   
Yami-Yuugi sighed. //But that life is over. When you sacrificed part of   
your soul to create me, the past "me" was destroyed. In short, you are   
the "original Yuugi" while I became something like the "soul that has   
merged with Yuugi", therefore your Yami. You understand now?//  
  
Yuugi sighed. His head was spinning madly. /Yeah. I guess/ Of   
course, he could only guess.   
  
The Millennium Puzzle glowed a bit, and suddenly, Yami-  
Yuugi was standing beside his "light", the darker half blinking a few   
times to get adjusted to his surroundings. Of course, seeing this, Yuugi   
reacted accordingly. That is, he shouted in surprise and proceeded to   
scramble out the door.  
  
Yami-Yuugi watched, amused, as Yuugi tripped over his   
covers in his blind panic. He yawned a bit, stretching out lithe, sinewy   
arms, revealing a pair of glistening incisors complementing his ivory   
teeth. Then, cat-like, he stared at Yuugi, dark crimson eyes unblinking.   
"I don't see why my appearing here surprises you so much, considering   
all the other things that have happened." He remarked, voice dripping   
with an amusement his face didn't show.   
  
Yuugi struggled to untangle himself from the mass of blankets,   
managing to successfully tie himself into a blanket-made knot. "Well, its   
not everyday you see your other 'self' suddenly appear in front of you   
like a person!" Yuugi remarked, venting his shock and embarrassed   
anger at the gigantic blanket-knot, currently happily enveloping his   
body. Of course, that only made things worse.   
  
Yami-Yuugi blinked, eyes still fixed on his Aibou. The boy   
looked absolutely ridiculous, swathed in his blankets, enclosing him like   
a mass of bandages. "I didn't want to interrupt your own body, so I   
created an illusionary one of my own. Its no fun being cramped in my   
Soul Room all the time"  
  
Yuugi stopped struggling, pondering in awe at what his Yami   
had said. "So… your body isn't real?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi shook his head. "Only as real as the person   
believes."  
  
Yuugi looked at the slight depression on the bed that his Yami   
was creating by sitting, and he shrugged. "You look real enough to me."   
Like some motion-sensitive serpent, another coil of blanket, managed to   
successfully cover Yuugi's eyes, and the small boy squealed in protest.  
  
Yami-Yuugi laughed, coming out in a harsh bark. Not because   
he wanted to, but because he had not laughed in such a long time. It   
felt… good – vaguely pleasing. His laughter faded into his trademark   
smirk. "You know, Aibou, you look like a…" Here he paused, eyes   
losing focus as he delved into Yuugi's memories. "Ah yes! You look   
like a mummy!"   
  
Yuugi frowned, growling a bit. "Hey! If you were a supposed-  
to-be-dead Pharaoh, you're the one that should be a mummy!" He   
wondered somewhere if there was some strange irony God playing   
havoc with him, leaving him exposed to some bad Egyptian humour   
when he didn't even deserve it.   
  
**Somewhere, in an alternate dimension, the respectful and   
exaltedly wonderful (Eevee muse: *WHACK*) author sneezed,   
wondering if she was coming down with something. **  
  
Amused crimson eyes stared back. "Nah." He commented,   
enjoying the ludicrousness of the situation, and even more his newly-  
found superiority. "Besides, you look like the exact type of character   
who always gets picked on."  
  
The struggling stopped. The words hit Yuugi with the force of a   
sledgehammer, bringing him back to reality. Everything had gone   
wrong. And now – now even his Yami, who had claimed to be a part of   
him was less promising than he had hoped for. They had all said that he   
was too easy a target. And he was – although only the strict Laws of the   
Authority saved him. Yet, the Authority had failed. The _real_ reason   
his Yami was here was because of… someone…  
  
~ Silvery hair glittered like dull steel under the moonlight. Eyes   
furrowed in darkness bore into Yuugi like a feline trapping its prey.   
Yuugi was cornered – he was trapped – he had nowhere to go. Nowhere.   
Absolutely nowhere.   
  
Warmth gushed into Yuugi's lips, and he found himself hard   
pressed as he backed himself away as far as possible. This time, there   
was no sanctity. He felt everything. The smooth edge of slightly tender   
lips forcing his own parched lips to crack and reveal the delicate inside   
of his mouth. The caress of a tongue not his own running playfully along   
his teeth. The strange, acrimonious taste of blood falling into his mouth,   
as refreshing as salt water. He tasted every bit of it, as it spurted into his   
mouth, warm and teeming with the essence of life. And yet, he refused   
to swallow it, helplessly suppressing the bile in his throat as the salty,   
slightly sticky-sweet taste pressured against his taste buds. He tried to   
scream, spitting some of it out, the liquid dribbling down his chin,   
soaking his teeth with an unnatural crimson. And then, forced hands   
clamped his jaw shut, and Yuugi swallowed out of reaction, a reaction   
not to bite his tongue. In that single moment, the liquid oozed down his   
throat, trickling as it fell, setting his throat on fire. The pain didn't stop   
until every last bit of it had seeped into his stomach, where it froze his   
very intestines with a chill air. Yet, that was only a beginning of the   
pain.   
  
Bakura wasn't finished yet… oh no – he had just begun~  
  
A stinging sensation on his cheek jerked the small boy back   
into reality. Instinctively, Yuugi brought one hand to his sweltering   
cheek, icy hands cooling the stinging pain. The small boy stared at his   
Yami.   
  
Yami-Yuugi glared at his Aibou fiercely, one hand still held   
poised in the air, as if permanently stuck in the after-effect. His glare   
softened as he realized the pain he had inflicted on his "light". "Look,   
I'm sorry." He hesitated, biting his lip uncertainly while looking at the   
ground. "I can't allow you to wallow on your self-pity, and even more   
on the events of the past." Here, the darkness sighed, eyes closing in   
anguished remembrance. "If you dwell only on your past, how can you   
see to the future?"  
  
Yuugi ignored his other's attempts to make him feel better.   
How could his Yami possibly understand? He snorted, a derisive snort   
most unlike himself. What was there to dwell on? His life had been   
ruined, just by a single event, his reputation marred for life. What's more   
– he had trusted Bakura. Tears began to sting his eyes, pooling around   
his lids and threatening to spill. The small boy bit his lips, trying to   
suppress his agony.  
  
Another ear-shattering slap ensued, this time, both Yuugi and   
Yami-Yuugi staring at each other in shock. Yami-Yuugi was faster to   
recover, withdrawing his stinging red palm.   
  
"Stop it, Yuugi." He muttered, each word tense and suppressed.   
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's not your fault, and it never will be."  
  
Trust was a fickle thing, wasn't it? Gone one moment as fast as   
the westerly wind. Yuugi wondered when his Yami would abandon him.   
After all, he was too tainted. The tears, no longer able to defy gravity,   
spilled out, large translucent pearls that dripped onto his shirt, creating   
perfect dark blue circles on his normally light-blue jacket. "It- it-" He   
began, stuttering through his tears and internal agony.   
  
~ The fire burned on all sides of him, locking Yuugi into a trap   
built on the inferno of Hell. He heard a voice, deep and consuming,   
laughing in glee as he frantically searched for an escape. The flames   
glowed with an unnatural red, the same red as his tainted blood. And it   
grew, encompassing him like an inferno, scorching his body, scorching   
his soul. Yuugi screamed out in agony as he felt a million claws tear at   
his flesh, enhanced by the intense heat of the fire, the fire that stung with   
the icy chills of the Arctic and burned with eternal punishment.   
  
Suddenly, it came, in the form of a hulking dark slave-master,   
eyes glowing an eerie yellow. On one hand, it brandished a whip made   
of the same eternal flame, screaming a silent voice of condemnation. It   
was Punishment.   
  
Punishment raised its whip, testing its accuracy on a nearby   
rock-infested corner, reducing the corner to a sizable dent. Yuugi   
whimpered, the tears falling non-stop as they blurred his vision. It was   
soon – very soon. He would soon get the punishment he deserved.   
  
The whip came falling down, emblazoned with flames….  
  
Yuugi closed his eyes, wishing for innocence and eternity…  
  
The whip cracked painfully once…   
  
And nothing happened.   
  
Yuugi opened his eyes. There was no pain. He blinked. Was   
this the bliss that eternity promised?  
  
"Hell, no."   
  
The voice was startlingly familiar, and Yuugi saw… himself,   
doubling over in pain, a jagged gash running across his back, the painful   
mark cutting through fabric and skin until it had seared pink flesh. Now,   
the flesh burned a dull black, the strange smell both putrid and revolting.   
Yuugi almost screamed as he watched himself suffer.   
  
… and then realized that it wasn't him.   
  
Dark crimson eyes glared into the soft lavender ones. The not-  
Yuugi looked up, one hand pressed against the deepest opening on the   
gash, brows furrowed painfully in a valiant attempt to ignore the pain as   
streams of blood ran between his fingers.  
  
Yuugi gaped, only realizing now what his Yami had done.   
"You said that you weren't real!" He shouted angrily, a new batch of   
tears running down his cheeks as ran over to his Yami, embracing the   
taller body.   
  
Yami-Yuugi managed a faint grin, canines glistening in the   
unnatural light. "Only as real as you want me to be."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened, and he backed away in fear. "Please."   
He muttered, voice barely reaching past his constricted throat. "Stop it!   
Please just leave me alone!" With that final command, he broke down,   
sobbing quietly to himself. He waited, expecting this nightmare to end   
and another to take its place.   
  
Yet, nothing happened.   
  
Yami-Yuugi looked at his light, drawing himself closer despite   
the pain. His eyes were now clouded over in agony, despite his calm   
demeanor. "Yuugi. Why do you hate me?"  
  
Yuugi looked up. Why did he hate his Yami anyway? "Because   
– because you'll only betray me, like everyone else. "  
  
"Do you hate yourself?"  
  
Yuugi nodded his head vehemently.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"S-someone…" Yuugi's voice hushed over, almost in awe.   
"Someone…" He began sobbing again, lost in his own internal agony.   
He felt so dirty, so unclean, as if his whole body was simply a used dirt   
cloth. He was worthless.   
  
"Aibou. Listen to me."   
  
Yuugi ignored the strange voice.   
  
"Aibou."   
  
Yuugi ignored the strange warning voice.   
  
" AIBOU!"  
  
Yuugi wanted to tell the voice to be quiet. It was giving him a   
headache. But then, he stopped. Why did it matter what he wanted? He   
was worthless… he was insignificant… so insignificant…so…  
  
…. Yuugi's eyes snapped wide open as he felt a familiar   
pressure being applied to his lips, robbing him off all thought. He   
choked back a scream, realizing with a sinking heart the repeating   
pattern of his nightmare. Again, his heart called out in agony…  
  
And then, realized that it _wasn't_ Bakura.   
  
And that he didn't feel violated at all.   
  
Yami-Yuugi drew back from the kiss, never leaving his   
crimson eyes off Yuugi's. He said nothing, but simply watched.   
Watched carefully the expression on Yuugi's face.   
  
Yuugi stared, stunned, torn between screaming in agony and   
asking for more. Finally, his body compromised by dropping himself   
ungainly to the ground. Curing to a fetal position, Yuugi could only stare   
at his Yami while voicing a single word.   
  
"Why?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi put a finger to his Aibou's lips before he could say   
more. "There is no why. Only a because." He sighed, holding the small   
boy into a tight embrace. "Yuugi, you are my Chosen. I knew that from   
the moment I saw your soul that you were the one I had been looking   
for. You can't leave me now, just like you can't stop breathing or   
wishing, or hoping something of some sort. Even the most desperate,   
dying man will wish something with their last breath. So wish now,   
Yuugi. Wish for something. "  
  
Wish? What was there to wish? The more Yuugi thought of it,   
the less choices he found himself in. What did he wish for the most? "I   
wished that this had never happened – that I had never met Bakura-"  
  
Yuugi stopped himself halfway, the taste of his Yami's lips still   
lingering within his heart. He remembered the simple delight his   
darkness had given him, and even more, what his Yami had promised.   
He remembered the soft feathers of his angel, and the joy of discovering   
the Millennium Puzzle. And he remembered his own "puzzle", most of   
the pieces still hidden by the Authority, still waiting to be solved.   
  
And he tried again.   
  
"I wish for a new chance. To start again. To forgive and be   
forgiven. To forget." He touched his heart briefly, wishing the pain   
away. His Yami was right. He could only get what he wished if he   
looked to the future and stopped dwelling on the past. Now was the time   
to change. No was the time to accept.  
  
"And I also wish…" Yuugi turned to his darkness. "That you'll   
be by my side, no matter what."  
  
The Sennen Eye glowed on Yami's forehead, a startling,   
brilliant yellow hue. With a burst of magic, eye commanded a spell of   
brilliant light, chasing away the darkness like the sunrise against the   
night. Then, everything was still again. ~  
  
Yuugi up from his position on the ground, realizing that he was   
back in his room. As he started to wonder what happened, the dream   
rushed back into him like a snap elastic effect.   
  
"You all right, Aibou?" A deep, soothing voice asked, forever   
promising. "What's wrong?"  
Yami-Yuugi's voice contained a strange ignorance, as if he had been the   
audience of some show he missed.   
  
Yuugi looked at his Yami, rubbing away the last of his tears.   
"Oh… It was nothing. I- I think I just had a bad dream."  
  
Yami chuckled. "Yes. Bad dreams can be painful, especially to   
the eye of the dreamer."  
  
Yuugi stared into the crimson eyes of his other, and wondered   
briefly if his Yami had actually kissed him. Surely, his other wouldn't   
have gone that far… and yet, he longed for it.  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes sparkled almost mischievously before   
turning back into their serious hue. "I guess, like a dream, everything has   
to move on."  
  
"Yes." Yuugi confirmed. "Everything must move on. For as   
long as there is possibility and a future, there is hope."  
  
Yami-Yuugi nodded, this time breaking into a genuine, perfect   
smile. And then, much to Yuugi's amazement, began laughing. As in,   
rolling-on-the-bed laughter. Yuugi blinked. Several times, actually,   
wondering what on earth had possessed his Yami. _This_ was supposed   
to be his darkness? Still incredulous at his 'darkness', Yuugi stood from   
his seat on the ground, eyes never leaving his Yami. If _that_ was his   
Yami, how naïve was he?  
  
There needed to be no answer as Yuugi 'eeped' and realized   
with a sinking heart that he was still swathed in blankets. Anything else   
was resolved with a loud "Thump!".  
  
******************************************  
  
//Well, I think you're healthy enough// A dry voice remarked as   
Yuugi stared outside the window, large light-violet eyes pressed against   
the glass, leaving finger and face-prints on the smooth, cold surface.   
  
Yuugi's eyes lit up. /Really?/ He then looked around, as if   
expecting to be suddenly denied his freedom. Of course, no one came.   
The small boy frowned, thinking deeply. /I don't get it./ He finally   
confessed. /I thought that this might be someone's house, but there's   
been no one here since I woke up./  
  
//Hnn.// Came Yami-Yuugi's reply. //There probably _is_   
someone there. If not, then how did you get on the bed, and where did   
the Puzzle come from?//  
  
/An angel/ Yuugi stated, then realizing that his Yami was lost,   
sent his other a mental pulse of information, explaining his dream and   
the golden-haired angel.   
  
Yami-Yuugi mused over that for a while, not bothering to   
speak as the pair lapsed into a moment of silence.   
  
Suddenly, the door behind Yuugi slammed shut, and the boy   
jumped in surprise, jerking his head towards the offending sound. By the   
doorframe stood a petit young woman, possibly no older than eighteen,   
wearing brisk white nursing robes with a pile of prim towels in one   
hand. Yuugi could only stare at the intruder, coming to the conclusion   
that he _had_ been living in this lady's house.   
  
The woman, much to Yuugi's surprise (and Yami-Yuugi's   
amusement), took no heed of the small boy, and proceeded to stuff the   
towels neatly in a nearby closet, humming a bit abstractly to herself.   
Tidy blue hair, trimmed rather short, bobbed back and forth as she   
worked, moving with a strange unity.   
  
Taking some time to wonder whether or not Yuugi should   
disturb this strange lady, he finally decided. With uneasy shuffling steps,   
the boy made his way to the blue-haired woman, poking her gently on   
the arm to get her attention.   
  
"Hello there." Large dark-blue eyes turned to meet Yuugi,   
sparkling with a pleasant tone. "How may I help you?"  
  
Yuugi, in turn, fidgeted. "Erm… thanks for letting me stay at   
your house… " He began, not sure of what to say. If it hadn't been for   
this lady finding her, he might have been stuck on the streets, dead by   
now. And yet, he didn't want to cause her any more trouble. "I'll be   
taking my leave now."  
  
As Yuugi turned to leave, he felt himself restrained by a tug on   
his arm. The small boy looked back, to see the woman holding onto his   
wrist gently. She smiled, softly and pleasantly, showing no hostility.   
"You're welcome back any time you want." Was the reply in an equally   
gentle voice. "Please." She added softly, before letting go of Yuugi's   
hand.   
  
Yuugi nodded, although he really had no intention of doing so.   
"I-I'll think about it." He muttered, surprised as his own geniality.   
  
//Yeah right// Yami-Yuugi snorted in his mind. //After this,   
we're outta here!//  
  
"You might just want to come back one day." The woman   
spoke, her tone deeper and wiser than it had been, as if containing a   
hidden secret one could only grasp at. "There are some things you might   
want to learn later. And clues to the secret your are looking for."  
  
"Um, okay." Yuugi didn't fully trust this mysterious stranger,   
but she seemed to contain an aura of hidden wisdom and inner strength,   
like his angel. Just by instinct, he was drawn to liking and believing her.   
"But, what secrets are there?"  
  
The woman didn't reply to the question, but frankly ignored it.   
"There are dangers that you can only grasp at." She began. "You must   
look out for the traps, and always trust those who care for you. The   
Game has begun, and there is no escape now."  
  
Yuugi could feel his Yami mentally narrowing his eyes at that   
comment. //Game…// Muttered Yami-Yuugi, although more to himself   
than to his other. //Could this possibly have anything to do with the…   
Authority?// The last word had been hastily placed in, as if covering   
another word that the darkness didn't want to disclose.   
  
Of course, Yuugi didn't notice. /I think…/ His mind briefly   
played into flashback mode, and out again. /I think we're about to   
discover it, whatever it is./  
  
//Hmph.// Yami-Yuugi said nothing more, retreating back into   
silence.   
  
"Please." The woman laid a friendly hand on Yuugi's shoulder,   
ice-cold. "Take this with you, if you ever want to find me again. Simply   
come back to this place and show this card." Her eyes flashed a bit in   
warning. "And don't lose it! Doing so may prove to be more harmful   
than you think."  
  
Yuugi accepted the small white card, rather plain in   
appearance. There was no writing on it whatsoever. Shrugging, he   
clutched the card in one hand, the other opening the door, bidding a last   
farewell to his kind benefactor.   
  
Only when Yuugi left the small, conformable-looking house,   
done in a rather old-fashioned style with its slanted shingled rooftops   
and whitewashed walls, did he remember something he had forgotten to   
mention. If his benefactor had rescued her, did he give her the Puzzle   
too? If so – where had it come from, and more so, what was going to   
happen?  
  
The small boy turned back towards the house, only to realize   
that it wasn't there anymore. Simply said – the area looked like a cluster   
of trees and grass, claiming rather guilefully to never have supported any   
house of any sort. Yuugi gaped out loud, staring at the house-that-never-  
was, wondering if he had dreamt it all.   
  
//I doubt it.// Yami-Yuugi frowned in his mind, his tone rather   
suspicious and disproving.   
  
Well, if his Yami was here, then it had to be real, Yuugi   
reasoned. The second piece of information that gave it away was the   
blank card, still caught in the clammy-cold grip of his hands. Now, he   
looked at the face of the strange shiny plastic of the card again, turning it   
over for inspection. And, as if on command, a series of words blurred   
and formed on the surface, written in a bold dark red, much like the   
colour of his Yami's eyes.   
  
Yuugi gaped for the umpteenth time today, reading the scant   
words out loud.   
  
"Club oh-oh-one- three."  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
End notes:  
  
BTW, "oh-oh-one-three" translates to '0013'. You knew that, ne?   
Also, sneezing is a Japanese superstition, claiming that whenever   
someone sneezes, it's a sign of someone else talking about them. ^_^  
  
Whew! Took me three chapters to reveal the significance of my title, and   
I'm not done yet! In case you're wondering, I was going to do a "Yami-  
Bakura says" but I didn't exactly want Yami-Yuugi ripping his guts out   
in my story. Maybe somewhere else -_-;;;  
  
Next time:   
- Yami-Yuugi meets and challenges certain players of the "Game"  
- The secret of the Authority and "Club 0013" begins to come   
together  
- And watch as the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sailor Moon cast bow down   
to Zoo's mightiness!  
  
Eevee muse: o.O;;; 


	4. Bending the Rules

Author's notes:  
  
Actually, I just wrote this to confess that I didn't write any of this   
*points to Eevee muse slaving away at keyboard*. The Author's   
notes, I mean ^_^. I'm dictating, and my Eevee muse is typing.   
Ahh.. the joys of having your own personal muse ^.^  
  
Eevee muse: -_-;;; I'm not complaining cause I get paid...  
  
Yuugi: You too? How much?  
  
Eevee muse: Not enough anyway ^-^  
  
Yuugi: Yeah... I think we should go on a strike and make up our   
own fic!  
  
*Yuugi and Eevee muse leave*  
  
Zoo: o.O;; Hey! Don't leave! -_-;;; Who's gonna start off my story,   
then?  
  
**************************************  
  
"Little Lamb, who made thee?"  
  
*************************************  
  
Chapter 4: Bending the Rules  
  
It was raining again. Fat droplets of water splattered   
against the windowsill, leaving rivulets of silver staining the once-  
clear glass. A melancholy mood seemed to have swept over the   
town, as if the very heavens were crying over a newly remembered   
loss. And yet, memories were only memories, plagued by guilt and   
fueled by revenge - nothing more.   
  
Or so he had convinced himself. Sighing rather dismally,   
the boy put down his pencil, pushing back a few strands of stray   
hair. He stared out the window, listening to the soft patter of   
raindrops while watching with amusement as they hit the glass and   
seemed to disappear, scuttling along the surface like shooting stars.  
  
Even the raindrops had a place to go, disappearing once   
they hit the window frame. But not him. Abandoned, adopted,   
beaten, and eventually abused, he had no life, no purpose of his   
own. The boy shook his head, trying to clear himself out of those   
dismal thoughts, slapping himself back into reality. Reality. Huh.   
He had given that up ever since...   
  
.... Again he shook his head. There was no need to think   
about that right now. He had more things to worry about. A pang   
of guilt rang through his heart again, freezing the boy in mid-  
stance. It was always like this now. He would be fine, absolutely   
happy, until interrupted again by another similar experience. The   
guilt chained his heart like an iron fist, unrelenting as it spoke of   
_his_ sin. There was no escape. He was guilty.   
  
Momentarily, the boy looked at an object on the side of   
his desk, no larger than the palm of his hand, simply and ornately   
decorated. It had been his gift, on his fourteenth birthday. Jerking   
his gaze rather hastily away, the boy closed his eyes, hugging his   
figure closer to himself as if to offer his own body some comfort.   
Of course, there was none.   
  
The "gift" had ruined his life. And now, it sought to ruin   
more.   
  
He shuddered. He was scared.   
  
Any other thought was again interrupted by a wave of   
guilt, this one washing him away from his tidy sanctuary like a   
gigantic tsunami. He barely managed to resurface, straining with   
only by the bare tendrils of his will, gasping while his mind reeled   
endlessly.   
  
That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. This was _not_   
his fault - it had never been. But still, he felt so _guilty_.   
  
Tears trickled down his cheeks, solid and brighter than   
those that sang outside. And despite his weak emotions, a firm   
resolve was building within him. He was going to solve his guilt   
once and for all, or at least, die trying. Not that he cared a damn   
about his live anyway.   
  
The boy laughed to himself a bit, rather ironically. The   
fact that he was beginning to swear was a sure sign that he was   
losing his will to his Ya-  
  
Again, he found that he couldn't say the word.   
  
Leaving it at that, the boy picked up from his desk the   
dully-glowing "gift", tying it absently to a rope and around his   
neck, where his finger didn't dare again to touch it. Or rather, he   
did so with the hope that the influence could lessen a bit. In fact, he   
prayed. Absently, he pushed another lock of stray silvery-white   
hair from his face before grabbing a thick sweatshirt. The door   
clicked quietly behind him, sealing his path of second thought as   
he plotted his way against the dismal, crying weather. Frankly, he   
didn't care about the rain, because his mind screamed louder.   
  
Halfway wherever his desired destination had been, the   
silver-haired boy stopped. The ring tied around his neck glowed   
once, the small, sad expression curved into a sadistic smile.   
Maniacal laughing ensued, frightening as it chuckled with the beat   
of insanity.   
  
******************************************  
  
Sleeping on the streets in the middle of a rainstorm was   
definitely not a smart choice. Yuugi could testify to that. Curling   
his small body into an even tighter ball, Yuugi tried to inch further   
back into his shelter, currently a sopping wet cardboard box.   
Stubbornly, the small boy had refused to disturb anyone, mostly   
his family, at such an unearthly hour. And the hour had only   
become unearthly when the boy had immersed himself in an   
ethical debate whether or not to return to his family in the first   
place. Even with his Yami's promised protection, he no longer felt   
the fake sanctity that plastered his life like before. Like reaching   
out towards a new school of thought, he discarded the worn ideas   
of the past.   
  
"When I was a child, I spake as a I child." Yuugi   
muttered, quoting snatches of a memory worn and forgotten. "Now   
I put away such childish things..." He paused, not quite   
remembering the words properly, although the meaning was still   
the same.  
  
Simply put, the small boy knew that he could not belong   
to the Authority anymore. The way his Yami shifted restlessly only   
sharpened Yuugi's suspicion, as his darkness would often cast   
silent malevolent eyes at the Officers and rule-keepers of the   
Authority. There was something that his Yami wasn't telling to   
Yuugi, and the small boy hesitated to ask. All he knew was that his   
Yami was _not_ on good terms with the Authority. Again, the   
reason was shrouded.   
  
A drop of stinging wet water fell right on the boy's nose,   
as several consecutive ones followed, each leaving a fat round   
mark on his face. Without even half a thought, the small boy wiped   
away the drops with his wet sleeve, succeeding only in making his   
face even wetter.   
  
He sighed, shivering with his hands over his mouth to try   
and obtain some heat. Vaguely, Yuugi fantasized about a warm   
shelter, lit by a single hearth, crackling and blazing with warmth.   
Of course, that only succeeded in bringing the small boy more   
misery as he glanced around his drenched environment, where   
water was now leaking through the top of the box and spilling onto   
his already-wet clothes. Even his baggy jeans clung to his skin,   
making his skin icy cold and slightly clammy.   
  
The small boy sneezed a few times, each one echoing   
louder than the other. He sniffled, wiping his nose with one sleeve.   
  
//Bless you.// Came the vague reply from Yuugi's mind,   
having not made a comment for quite some while.   
  
Yuugi sneezed again. /T-thanks/ Even his mind-speech   
reflected his freezing state.   
  
Yami-Yuugi seemed to have returned back to whatever   
meditative state he had been in before. But not before one last   
question. //Yuugi? Why are you so wet?//  
  
Yuugi could imagine his Yami's reaction. He tried hard   
not to think about it, but it was too late.   
  
//WHAT!!!??// Yami-Yuugi's voice practically blasted   
Yuugi's skull, vibrating and resonating with a million images of   
anger and surprise. //WHAT THE-  
  
Yuugi winced a bit as his Yami said a not-very-nice world  
  
-ARE YOU DOING HERE!?//   
  
/Uhm... trying to get some sleep?/ Yuugi replied,   
innocently.   
  
His Yami would take none of that, again muttering a   
colourful stream of unethical words, some that Yuugi had   
never heard - or wanted to hear - in his life. It was funny,   
considering that his Yami hadn't reacted at all in the past   
couple of hours.   
  
//I was _sleeping_!// Yami-Yuugi screeched, indignation   
and a steadily growing fury rising in his tone. //Of course, I   
wouldn't have slept if I knew you were _this_ stupid!//  
  
/Well, I didn't exactly have anywhere else to go!/ Yuugi   
snapped back, somewhat irritated, the consistent wet and cold   
weather clouding and freezing his mind.   
  
Yami-Yuugi sighed, the talisman around Yuugi's neck   
glimmering slightly before he shimmered into "life" beside   
Yuugi. The rain collided with his image in a furious roar,   
although it only passed through him, as if he were a ghost.   
  
Crimson eyes widened as he saw the miserable, shivering   
form of Yuugi, once-large eyes clouded dully with unseeing   
light. With a sharp cry of dismay, Yami-Yuugi brought a very   
solid, warm hand to his Aibou's forehead, feeling the chilled   
skin beneath tendrils of damp hair. Droplets of water fell from   
the hair onto his hand, leaving paths of cool liquid after   
impact.   
  
"Dammit, Aibou." Yami-Yuugi cursed again. He knew he   
shouldn't, but it was a bad habit he had picked up from the last   
person he had shared souls with. Frankly, we wouldn't have   
even batted an eye if his last host had died on the spot, but he   
cared deeply for Yuugi. More than he would ever admit.  
  
"So cold." Yuugi muttered, showing positive signs of   
hypothermia.   
  
Yami-Yuugi held his light gently, wrapping the small,   
shivering body over his protective warm one.   
  
"Shhh." The darkness whispered, with all the gentleness   
of a parent wishing his child good-night. "Go to sleep, Yuugi.   
I'll take it from here."  
  
Yuugi nodded. "'Night... Yami..."  
  
Yami-Yuugi chuckled, deeply rich in tone. "Good night,   
Aibou."  
  
The Puzzle around Yuugi's neck glowed slightly, and his   
small form disappeared in a burst of faintly shining white   
light. Said Puzzle re-appeared around the now-standing Yami-  
Yuugi's form, bringing with it the burden of reality.   
  
The rain now dropped treacherously on Yami, decimating   
his hair and once-dry clothing in less than ten seconds into a   
waterlogged mass. The former Pharoah sighed at this new   
onslaught of weather, but ignored it as he felt the warmth in   
his Aibou's Soul Room, the small boy having automatically   
drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Frankly, he wished that he   
too could be in his Soul Room, but his light had already done   
more than his share, and so, it was only fair that he did the   
same in return. He wouldn't have wanted it otherwise.   
  
The Yami adjusted his cloak just slightly so that it   
repelled some of the rain, concentrating some of his Magic to   
weave a water-repellent spell into the cloth of the material.   
Having done that, the Darkness ran hurriedly down the streets,   
eyes darting back and forth as he tried to spot a better shelter   
for the night. Besides, he wouldn't have fit in that box.   
  
His stomach growled a bit, but Yami-Yuugi ignored it,   
continuing his quest to find at least a half-sanctuary. Now was   
not a good time to be thinking about eating, although it was   
actually Yuugi who was hungry. The Darkness sighed. One of   
these days, he was going to have to tell light Aibou exactly   
_what_ type of food Yuugi needed to eat to survive. That was   
the price of the curse, but Yami-Yuugi realized that he didn't   
have a heart to say so. Again, he was just delaying the   
inevitable.   
  
It didn't really matter though - Yami-Yuugi had fangs,   
Yuugi didn't. It would be a breach of impurity anyway else.   
Although, Yami-Yuugi might share a physical body, he didn't   
actually need anything to survive. Well, his Millennium   
Puzzle and a host, but besides that, he was basically _very_   
low maintenance.   
  
Still absorbed into finding a decent shelter, the darker soul   
didn't notice that he had bumped into someone until he was   
roughly pushed back. Instinctively, Yami-Yuugi dropped to   
the ground, using his arms as support to spring from the fall   
and land in a crouching, defensive position. Angry dark-red   
eyes glared at the obstruction.   
  
The person, whoever he was, obviously thought he was   
very important, snarling at the figure of Yami-Yuugi with an   
equally enraged demeanor. The spiky-haired Darkness simply   
stared back, eyes unmoving as he analyzed the figure.   
  
It appeared to be a boy, no older than he was, with   
strangely cropped rather stringy light-blue hair, a dull gray   
under the darkness. Drooping eyelids magnified by large-  
rimmed glasses only enhanced the boy's rather eerie   
expression, making him look like a hallowed spirit, lost   
forever in thought.   
  
The boy grabbed Yami-Yuugi rather nastily on the   
shoulder, taking out what seemed like a tapered white gun, too   
short to form even a muzzle. A pair of glasses flashed once in   
the dark, piercing the rain-clouded environment and glaring   
straight into the Yami's fierce eyes. The boy then hissed,   
rather angrily, still holding a fistful of Yami-Yuugi's wet   
clothing.   
  
"Game King." The boy pronounced each word clearly. "I   
know you."  
  
Yami-Yuugi responded by jamming his knee into the   
boy's stomach, causing the black-haired boy to let go of his   
shoulder. The Yami watched as the boy fell down, winded by   
the blow.   
  
Yami-Yuugi sneered as he watched the black-haired boy.   
"So. You are one of them." His voice dropped into a low tone,   
almost growling with disdain. "An Officer. A Pawn of the   
Authority. Pathetic."  
  
Angry, the boy snapped back up, pulling the trigger on his   
small weapon. Yami-Yuugi jumped, dodging the first fire, only to   
realize that there was no reaction from the trigger. No bullets, no   
lasers, no nothing. Shocked, the Yami chanced to look back at his   
opponent, proving a costly mistake. A sudden jarring pain shot up   
the Yami's arm, as though his entire body as everything began to   
blur. Hastily, Yami-Yuugi tried to move, only to realize that he   
was paralyzed on the spot. The tingling sensation grew worse,   
spreading through his blood and releasing a strange toxic that   
numbed him to the point of delirium. The former Pharaoh bit back   
a scream as he felt the toxic take a form of its own, a gigantic   
shadowy beast which tore at his soul, attempting to rip it out of the   
body piece by piece.   
  
"Like it?" The boy sneered, glasses flashing slightly. "It's   
a modified invention that I created, thanks to the powers of the   
Authority." He snorted, a jeering confident smile on his face. "It's   
such a pity, really. After all those years, we had hoped that the   
Game King would have learnt by now. Such a pity that you didn't   
choose to be with us."  
  
Despite his situation, Yami-Yuugi managed to give a   
snarl, although weakened by the strange effect of the boy's   
weapon. "Go and rot in Hell, you bastard!"  
  
"Ooh!" The boy snickered. "Saying bad words, are we? I   
wouldn't do that, cause I'll just make things worse for you."  
  
Blood flowed down Yami-Yuugi's lips as he bit it   
suddenly to prevent himself from screaming or showing any   
weakness to such agents of the Authority. He would fight and they   
would pay. The pain increased, until it was as if the strange beast   
consuming his soul was eating its way to his brain, ripping it apart   
piece by piece. The Yami found that he could no longer focus his   
thoughts properly.   
  
"That's right." The Authority-pawn continued. "My   
weapon, the Shadow Mantis, will tear your soul into pieces, once   
and for all. After all, even the Game King can't expect to win all   
the time." He snickered, laughing at that comment.   
  
Vaguely, Yami-Yuugi wondered if his Aibou would be   
safe, and what it would be like to finally rest eternally. Maybe   
there was a heaven and angels that Yuugi had talked about. He   
hoped so. The darkness shuddered a bit. He hated admitting it, but   
he had lived a life built on isolation, even past his death. He hoped   
that at least death wouldn't be so lonely...  
  
...Suddenly, it was over. And Yami-Yuugi was still alive.   
He blinked, feeling the rush of blood flow back into his nerves and   
the sudden full control his body had on the physical and mental   
actions. Whatever beast once consuming his soul had also   
disappeared, fading into a vague memory of pain.   
  
The boy glasses-boy stared gape-jawed, looking at his   
small gun. "What happened? Why isn't it working anymore?" He   
shook it a few times like a child does to a defective toy, trying to   
find the source.   
  
Frankly, Yami-Yuugi had no clue what had caused such a   
miracle, but he was nonetheless grateful. Now, to play things to his   
advantage...  
  
The Sennen Eye glowed a pale yellow on his forehead,   
appearing as a lurid and malevolent symbol to those who   
challenged it.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked at the now-cowering boy. "Bug-  
King Haga." He stated, staring straight on at the black-haired boy.   
"You knew I was the King of Games. And now, I challenge you to   
a Duel, in this Game I stake against you and the Authority. The   
rules are yours to make."  
  
Haga, or so he was called, suddenly sneered, rising up   
from his position. He tugged in his bow tie instinctively, his eyes   
gleaming as he thought.   
  
"Fool." Bug-King Haga responded, suddenly cackling an   
eerie, shallow laughter full of greed and ambition. "You might be   
the King of Games, Yu-Gi-Oh, but you still have so much to learn!   
Sooner or later, the powers of the Authority will force you to see   
the truth!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi sneered. "Save your crap for later. Do you   
accept my challenge or not?"  
  
More cackling ensued, maniacal and rather annoying.   
"Yes, I'll accept your challenge. I believe you know about a   
famous card game, called "Duel Monsters?"  
  
Actually, Yami-Yuugi had no clue, but rather, delved into   
the memory of his sleeping Aibou, searching for a match. He soon   
found one, mentally scanning the rules and procedures while he   
talked. "Yes. I'll play your 'Duel Monsters' Game."   
  
"You'll need a deck, though." Haga prompted. "Such a   
pity that you don't have one. I guess we'll have to settle for   
another game then." He commented, voice manipulative.   
  
Unknowingly, Yami-Yuugi took the bait. "Shut your   
nonsense! I have a deck right here!" He took out the strange case   
from his Aibou's (now his) jacket pocket, opening it to skim over   
the cards as he mind did a mental scan of each card's strengths and   
weaknesses. A lot of the cards were quite familiar, bringing to him   
strange flashbacks of a time long ago when there were the Shad-  
  
Yami-Yuugi shook his head. Now was not the time to   
think of such things. "These cards are only cards. They have no life   
or spirit in them. What type of game is this?"  
  
Haga giggled insanely. "You sound like an idiot, Yu-Gi-  
Oh. This is indeed a game all about stakes. We will infuse our   
powers, yours from your Millennium Puzzle, and mine from the   
Authority, into the powers of the cards. Whatever monster you   
choose shall be a direct summoning of energy. Whatever monster   
you loose you shall also feel, in physical torture. The last one   
standing wins"  
  
"Fine." Yami-Yuugi proclaimed, in a loud, clear voice.   
"Let's Duel!"  
  
A gigantic dome built of pure energy grew and stabilized   
around the two Duelists, surrounding them in a sealed shelter, the   
arena resembling an ancient-style battle-dome.   
  
Both contestants grabbed their decks, shuffling it before   
picking up five cards. The Millennium Puzzle glowed slightly by   
Yami-Yuugi's chest, as did the, oddly enough, Bug-King Haga's   
glasses.   
  
Haga started off the move."My first card will be a simple   
bug card." He threw the card into the ground beside him, watching   
the card glow and distort in shape, lengthening to become a   
gigantic insect, a grossly enlarged praying mantis, deadly claws in   
tow. "As a card, its power is weak. However, this isn't simply a   
card game isn't it? It's also about Magic. How long can you hold   
out in your Magic, and when do you attack?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi grunted. He looked at his deck, and scanning   
it again, threw a single card, which expanded in size, but never   
shifted shape, appearing to be a gigantic card face-down. "I play a   
card face down. And for the turn, I choose to defend with Silver   
Fang!"  
  
Another card glowed, and Yami-Yuugi concentrated,   
focusing his powers slightly to form the card into a physical shape   
of a large sliver-furred wolf, bristling protectively at his side.   
  
"Heheheheh." Haga laughed maniacally, "I change my   
Mantis to attack mode along with this magic card, a level 3 Laser   
Cannon! I am also adding my Forest field card to give _all_ my   
insects a field power bonus. You might call it a slight...   
enhancement of magical power."  
  
Yami-Yuugi glared, caught slightly off guard. He braced   
himself as the blow of the gigantic insect wiped out his wolf in one   
blast, watching the creature reduce itself into a mass of flesh and   
silvery fur, which simply dissolved into nothing. At the same time,   
he felt the blow directly at himself, as invisible claws seemed to   
rake and attempt to pry apart his insides, making him hiss   
involuntarily in pain. The Game King gritted his teeth, breathing in   
shallow gasps as to ease the pain. A long gash rang along his right   
shoulder, splicing perfectly the skin as the exposed pink flesh   
began to gush and ooze a deep crimson red.   
  
Haga watched this in glee. "Ha! Now you see how the   
game goes. And the fun has only begun!"   
  
Still growling slightly, Yami-Yuugi drew another card   
from the deck, careful not to move his shoulder too much. "I play   
the Curse of Dragon card, in attack mode!" He smirked as he   
placed the card into the center of the battlefield, watching it   
lengthen and shift into a gigantic dull-ivory dragon, seeming to be   
made of only bones and hints of flesh. It shrieked, flapping its   
wings, supported only by a faint line of air-resistant membrane.   
Without missing a beat, he brought another card into play. "And I   
also play my magic card, 'the Magic of Burning Land'."  
  
The Game King closed his eyes, sensing within his own   
Magic the power of his dragon. Although deceptively weak at first,   
the power of his dragon lay in the magic card in play. And so,   
Yami-Yuugi shifted his Magic into the card, watching as the card   
shimmered and infused itself with the attacking beast. The Puzzle   
glowed at the sudden strain of energy, complying with hidden   
sources of power. From the Curse of Dragon's mouth sprang a   
stream of molten flames, burning the mantis to cinders on the spot.  
  
Now, it was Haga's turn to feel the onslaught of pain. The   
boy shrieked and howled as his entire body was consumed by   
invisible flames, wreaking havoc on his body. Slight boils   
appeared on the surface of his skin, resembling layers of blisters   
that grew and blackened into a slimy, smelly layer of raw flesh.   
Then, the pain stopped, the scars and welts disappearing, save the   
ones that remained on his forearm as a reminder of his injury. The   
boy nursed his wounded arm, cursing slightly. To make the   
situation worse, the field magic card that Haga had set was gone,   
burnt by the flames of Yami-Yuugi's monster.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked. "How does it feel to get a taste of   
your own medicine, Bug King?"  
  
Haga glared, adjusting his glasses as their intensity   
seemed to grow, veiling his demonic eyes with a brilliant glassy   
sheen. To the Yami's amusement, the boy laughed, high pitched   
and full of lust. "More." He whispered, caught in some wild   
euphoria of power. "MORE!"  
  
Another card was drawn, and the Bug King slammed the   
single card down, with so much ecstasy that one could have almost   
sworn it was the infamous "Blue Eyes White Dragon" or even   
"Exodia". Yet, true to his name, Bug King Haga played only bug   
cards.   
  
"Lesse.. Ooh yes! I call upon this defenseless Moth   
Larvae." The corners of the boy's lips upturned, smiling rather   
triumphantly despite the 'weak' card. "Oh, by the way? Did I   
forget to tell you? I'm combining my worm with this 'Cocoon of   
Evolution' card to not only increase its defense but perhaps, create   
a better card." The smile was absolutely a sickening expression of   
uncontrolled fervour. "In a few turns, you'll learn that perhaps the   
best cards come with time."  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes narrowed. His mind raced over all the   
possibilities within the growing cocoon, finding that each   
possibility was too much in conflict with the next. If only he knew   
this game better! With inexperience at his side, the chances of him   
loosing were too great.   
  
/You can do this, Yami!/  
  
The voice came from his mind, and Yami-Yuugi almost   
jerked backwards in shock. //Yuugi?// The Darkness asked quite   
incredulously, having thought that the young boy was still   
sleeping.   
  
Yuugi created a mental picture of him nodding. /I saw the   
whole thing from here. You're doing great - just don't give up!/  
  
Yami-Yuugi snorted. //Ha! Give up to him? I'd rather   
grovel at the feet of Nefertiti.//  
  
There was a slight pause. /Who's Nerfertiti?/ Yuugi   
asked, slightly confused.   
  
//Ahh...// The Yami had forgotten again that his Aibou   
had never heard of such things. //Nefertiti was this Egyptian   
Goddess who has convinced for the longest time that I was to be   
her newly betrothed.//  
  
Yuugi laughed, despite the reality of the situation at hand.   
/_That_ I would have to see to believe./ He commented, before his   
voice turned slightly serious. /Listen, Yami. I've heard all sorts of   
information about the infamous Bug King Haga. He likes to cheat   
and use his field cards to give him a bonus, while distracting his   
opponents with his other cards bide time for his Great Moth. He's   
ruthless, and he'll do anything to win. What you've got to do is   
play his weaknesses./  
  
Play his weaknesses? But how? Yami-Yuugi thought   
about this carefully, tossing another card into the area, also face   
down. He drew his card for the turn, analyzing and comparing it.   
What _was_ the cocoon's weakness? With a gigantic thread-like   
barrier, and Haga's Magic infused into its defense, the creature was   
going to hold back whatever attack thrown at it. Unless...   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked. //I think... Maybe the key to the   
game _isn't_ defeating it, but finding the strategy.//  
  
Yuugi seemed impressed. /You mean, you found one   
already?/ The Light scanned the cards on his Yami's hand. /But   
none of these are really strong enough to eliminate this cocoon,   
even with all the power of your magic./ He exclaimed, dubious.   
  
//I am well aware that how much magic your beasts can   
hold depends mostly on their set attack and defense power.// Yami-  
Yuugi interrupted. //Trust me on this one. I am the Game King   
after all, aren't I?//  
  
Yuugi said nothing but simply speculated. He watched as   
his Yami quickly selected two cards from his deck.   
  
"I send out the Magic card, 'Magical mist' as well my   
'Gaia the Fierce Knight' in attack mode!"  
  
The first card shifted into translucence, and Yami-Yuugi   
felt his Magic reacting with it, letting the card guide his Magic into   
forming a gigantic cloud. Spreading out and expanding in size, it   
swirled around the battle arena, covering the entire dome with a   
hazy, wet atmosphere, not much unlike the weather outside.   
  
"Gaia the Fierce Knight - attack now!" Yami-Yuugi   
would complain to his Aibou later about the sheer stupidity of   
some of the cards' names.   
  
The new attacker, a strange armour-enveloped knight   
riding an equally armoured war-horse, charged, aiming its pointed   
lance towards the gigantic cocoon. Of course, the lance only   
skidded off, the strange material of the cocoon damp and slippery.   
  
Even as Haga was pushed slightly back by the impact, the   
Bug King continued to laugh, non-stop. Yami-Yuugi grated his   
teeth, steaming in his own anger. After he won the duel, the Bug   
King's laugh would be the first to go; and then the stupid names of   
the cards, of course.   
  
"Hahah!" Haga continued, unaware of the killer glare the   
Game King shot in his direction. "Your Knight attacking my   
cocoon will only provoke it into evolving faster! Such a stupid and   
tactless plan!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi simply shrugged, drawing another card and   
putting it into play. "I set a trap card face down."  
  
/No use Yami/ Yuugi muttered, being an avid fan of the   
Duel Monsters Card game himself. /Haga's sure to have a   
counterattack card for that./  
  
"Now, Gaia the Fierce Knight, attack again!" This time,   
Yami-Yuugi poured all the Magic possible into the attack,   
watching as the horseman charged with the full swing of given   
momentum and newly charged power. The Puzzle glowed fiercely   
around his neck, and so did the symbol of the Sennen Eye,   
appearing briefly on his forehead.   
  
With a yell, the lance of the Knight pierced the tough skin   
of the cocoon, breaking a sizable hole into the unyielding material.   
Yami-Yuugi smirked, trying to regain his posture as he felt himself   
being roughly jolted by a binding force of the same impact. Small   
shooting stars still streaked across his vision.   
  
And yet, Bug King Haga was uninjured by such an attack.   
And he only laughed.   
  
/I don't like the sound of that/ Yuugi muttered.   
  
But Yami-Yuugi was still unpreturbed. From the gigantic   
cocoon rose a strange, withered creature, appearing at first to be   
some horrific half-mass, stuck in metamorphosis between the   
larvae and adult stages of its kind. But, as the remains of the   
pierced cocoon were ruthlessly ripped apart by large, savage claws,   
it became apparent that there _was_ something very dangerous   
about this newly evolved creature.   
  
"Rise, my beauty!" Haga laughed, raising his hands in the   
air to commemorate his prized monster "And obliterate!"  
  
Large, monstrous wings fluttered and shimmered slightly,   
shaking off the excess ooze from within its cocoon. It screeched,   
and emitted from its serrated mouth a gigantic beam of energy,   
brilliant to the point of awe-inspiring. The beam shot out, a perfect,   
direct arc of light heading straight for the Knight.   
  
... But Yami-Yuugi just smirked. The Darkness raised a   
hand, and moved it quickly over one of his already-set cards.   
  
"I play the trap card - Mirror Force!" He shouted,   
watching as the card formed into a gigantic mirror, suddenly   
reflecting the attack back on the moth.   
  
Even then, Haga laughed. "It's no use! My moth's   
defense power is as strong as its attack power, so there's no way   
you can defeat it! Your trap card was just a delay against the   
inevitable!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked. "Think again, Haga. Or should I   
say - Bug King Haga?"  
  
Bug King Haga's eyes widened as his moth was   
completely overwhelmed and obliterated from its own attack,   
leaving no sign of its appearance save the remains of a few ashes.   
  
Haga staggered to the ground, doubling over in agony as   
his bones cracked and flesh stretched painfully, arching his body in   
an unnatural posture as a powerful wave of Magic seized to tear   
him apart limb by limb. The boy squealed and even pleaded for   
mercy, until suddenly, it was over, leaving the Bug King with a   
haunted mask of pain on his face.   
  
The Yami continued smirking. "You're very lucky I   
didn't decide to kill you. You know very well that in your   
defenseless position, with no monsters in your field, my Magic   
would be able to finish you in a snap." Yami-Yuugi growled,   
angrily. "But, for you, I find Punishment the much better path."   
His Sennen Eye burned brightly, a multi-coloured hue of brilliant   
white.   
  
Bug King Haga screeched as he felt an invisible dark   
force tug at his body, seeking to enslave and capture his tainted   
soul. "You cheated!" He shouted, even as tendrils of dark energy   
formed on the ground around him, wrapping over his face and   
body before enclosing him into the permanent depths of the   
shadows. The boy gave a last despairing cry before he disappeared,   
leaving only a pair of dull-grey glasses on the now undisturbed   
ground.   
  
The end of the Duel was finally over, and the invisible   
battle-dome around Yami-Yuugi dissolved, leaving him to the rain   
once more, as the cards returned back into their deck, safely stored   
in the jacket pocket.   
  
/How _did_ you defeat Haga anyway?/ Yuugi asked   
quietly, still awed at the brilliant display at the end, and even more   
scared at Haga's sudden disappearance. /And where did Haga go?/  
  
Yami-Yuugi looked at the part of the street, once covering   
a magnificent duel. His shoulder still bled slightly, but now the   
blood had caked, as droplets of water carried with it small streaks   
of crimson. "Simple, really." He reverted back into mind-speech.   
//Haga was overconfident, in that he thought his Moth was   
resistant to everything. What he didn't know was that the 'Magical   
Mist' I had placed earlier on the field was depleting the condition   
of his bugs, as a wet bug equals a slightly tender and defenseless   
bug. Therefore, it was no surprise that the Moth's own energy-  
induced attack was able to obliterate itself, considering that the   
bug's defenses were, at the moment, ineffective.// Yami-Yuugi   
gave his trademark half-grin. //Games like these are common to   
me, whether with cards, gambling, or actual face-to-face Magic.   
They are just all Games. And I am the Game King, the one   
destined to win them all.//  
  
Yami-Yuugi listened for a reply from his Aibou, and   
realizing that Yuugi had fallen back asleep again, only sighed,   
more in incredulousness then in offense. His stomach made slight   
grumbling noises, and the former Pharaoh blushed. He had   
forgotten that "he" was still hungry. Another sigh. He knew that   
taking Haga to the Shad- the place of Eternal Punishment seemed   
too good to be true. Yet, as an agent of the Authority, Haga would   
have been even more dangerous kept alive. Yami-Yuugi shrugged,   
slightly indifferent. Oh well. Everything had its price. That said,   
the Yami leapt into the air, landing gracefully on the rooftops as he   
searched for his prey.   
  
Little did he notice the pair of glowing eyes, glistening as   
they watched him, the silvery hair glowing just slightly in the dark.   
  
***************************  
  
"Sir."  
  
The person being addressed to, a long dark-brown haired   
figure swathed in equally dark clothes, ignored the comment. His   
arms were folded peacefully over his chest, head tilted down just   
slightly as he slept.   
  
"Sir." The voice emphasized again, this time persistent.   
  
A single eye, too dark to reveal its true colour, glared at   
the source of the voice, revealing that the person was actually quite   
awake. He sighed, snapping the eye closed again while his other   
remained undisturbed.   
"Please don't bother me. I'm trying to catch up on some   
rest."  
  
"But this is very important news." The voice protested,   
sounding frustrated at being ignored. "Something you might want   
to hear."  
  
The tall boy, for he was still just a boy, shifted his   
shoulders slightly, yawning rather cat-like. Both eyes fluttered   
open, caged by a few strands of dark chestnut hair, staring rather   
hollowly in the somber room.  
"What is it now?" He asked, in the same weary tone.   
  
"_This_" The other, persisting voice replied, bringing   
attention to a gigantic screen in front of the boy, displaying a map   
of the city with a single, beeping dot on one specific location.   
"There has been a strange disturbance in this area."  
  
"Yeah." Muttered the boy. "Okay." He obviously wasn't   
too pleased at what the voice had to offer. "If that's all you have to   
tell me, Computer, don't bother to wake me up until the morning."  
  
"Kaiba-san!" The Computer, for it was simply a   
computer, roared. "Please listen to the whole thing! The   
disturbance wasn't just a normal disturbance, but a strange Duel in   
Magic. One between a force of the Authority and a force of the   
Shadow Realm [1]."  
  
That caught Kaiba's, or so he was called, attention. The   
boy shot up from his seat faster than the eye could blink, a   
magnificent gleam sparking into life within his eyes. Long, slender   
fingers raced over the keyboard as the boy began a frantic pattern   
of typing on the keyboard, drilling instructions both manually and   
verbally.   
  
"Who won this Duel?" Kaiba asked, voice seemingly   
neutral.   
  
"_That's_ what I've been trying to tell you." The   
Computer huffed. "This force from the Shadow Realm is a familiar   
face, one that everyone has been waiting quite a while to see."  
  
Kaiba, also known as Seto Kaiba opened his mouth to   
comment that the Computer had never answered his question, only   
to shut it again. "Who is this person, the person from the Shadow   
Realms?" Kaiba asked suddenly.   
  
The Computer's tone was grave, as if automatically   
triggered by the seriousness of its master's tone. "Yu-Gi-Oh. Also   
known as the 'King of Games'. Yes, he has returned a few times in   
the past, although _this_ time is by far the most significant. There   
is something almost... untraceable about his host. I cannot seem to   
sense a difference between his host and him, unlike the few other   
conflicting times."  
  
Kaiba slammed an angry fist down on the console.   
"Damn." He muttered, gritting his teeth in anger. "It is said that   
when the Game King has finally Chosen his true lost soul, he will   
begin to play the Game for real and raise the stakes of either fate or   
destiny." He leant back on his chair, contemplating. "Whether it is   
realization or ignorance, I fear both. The white ignorance and   
utopia of the Authority and the black reality and actualization of   
the Shadow Realms. Ironic that they both seek to conquer through   
their Games in the field of grey." Kaiba sighed, slightly. "Who   
brought the Game King back? Did you file a trace?"  
  
The Computer hesitated, doing so now. "There is no clear   
data file. All that it gives me is a name."  
  
"What name?" Kaiba prompted, voice slightly curious   
and annoyed. Annoyed because he had never known about this   
additional variable to the equation.   
  
A slight pause. "It calls itself 'Club 0013'."  
  
"Well," Kaiba added, "Prepare to hack into the data files   
of this association. I'm going to find out the true reason they would   
risk sending the Game King out. After that, I have some other   
research to do."  
  
"Oh?" The Computer asked, while filing out Kaiba's   
commands.   
  
"Yes. I want to know if he really is the Game King the   
legends speak of. If he really has Chosen, then he will be   
unbeatable."  
  
"So." The Computer concluded, running through its data-  
processed artificial brain billions of possibilities and coming to   
one. "You are going to Duel him, even if it means sacrificing   
yourself to the Shadow Realm."  
  
"Yes." Seto Kaiba replied. "I shall Duel my one and only   
worthy rival. Yu-Gi-Oh."  
  
*****************************  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bakura says:   
  
Bakura: Ahh... (blushes)... Are you sure you want me to do this,   
Zoo?  
  
Zoo: (sipping green tea) Yes, yes, go ahead.   
  
Bakura: But... I can't. There's too many... people. (hides face in   
embarrassment)  
  
Zoo: -_-;;; its not hard! Just read the script.   
  
Bakura: (confused look) You didn't give me a script.   
  
Zoo: What?! I just gave it to you about five minutes ago!  
  
*We cut to a picture of Yami-Bakura running away insanely with a   
pile of papers clutched in one hand*  
  
Bakura: ... Errr... Maybe I should just leave now....?  
  
Anzu: (still very PO'ed at Zoo for ruining her "Anzu says") Why   
don't you let _me_ say the moral?  
  
Bakura: Sure Anzu!  
  
Anzu: (Takes out pile of photos) Well, the other day, I was looking   
through Zoo's desk, and I happened to come across these pictures   
of her posing as...  
  
Zoo: (chokes on her green tea, spluttering) Ack! Where's the   
cable?! Someone unplug this!! Stop the recording!  
  
*The screen blips and everything turns black, but not before   
pictures of Zoo wearing a Magical Girl costume are revealed   
(insane laughter is also heard in the background)*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
***********************************  
  
End notes:  
  
I am well aware of Bakura's Japanese name being "Ryou Bakura (English way)". I just like "Bakura" better... its sounds.. .cute   
Also, I often refer to Yami-Yuugi's name as the "Darkness"   
simply because " Yami" translated means "darkness".  
  
Arigato, Myst-Lady for coming back to life ^.~ thought you had   
disappeared for a while there!   
  
I actually have no clue how to play the Duel Monsters card game   
and was just being creative by taking out bits of what I read and   
saw on TV and putting them together. Think of it as a creative   
license then. If you _really_ have to complain about my   
inaccuracy, I shall complain back by spending my entire next   
chapter listing the names, evolutions, and attacks of all 251   
pokemon. I mean it! ;P  
  
Next time:  
- the _real_ leader of the Authority is revealed... well, kinda... 


	5. Strategy and Combinations

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. Maybe in   
another dimension and another possibility, but not this one, sadly.   
  
My Eevee muse is currently… unavailable at this moment…  
  
*we turn to see a scene where Zoo's Eevee muse is on a date with a   
handsome-looking Umbreon muse*  
  
But, I assure you, my editing will be just fine. Although, without a   
muse, I don't know how the plot's gonna run…  
  
Yuugi: RUN!!! AHHHH! IT'S ANOTHER INSANE Zoo-FIC!!!  
  
-_-;;; HEY! I resent that! The "another" part, I mean….  
  
~ this represents a dream sequence ~ 'nuff said…  
  
**********************************  
  
"We are the hollow men…"  
  
*********************************  
  
Chapter 5: Strategy and Combinations (Yami: What strategy? All   
you need is Exodia and you're pretty much set! Zoo: *shoves   
Yami away* I didn't ask you!)  
  
He was running as fast as his legs could carry him, tall form   
a blur against the night. Every so often, between gasping breaths, he   
would clench his chest, gripping the fabric of his deep green jacket   
with icy cold hands. The hands of one whom had seen and touched   
death.   
  
The boy turned a corner around the isolated street,   
moonlight reflecting a stern face contorted in a million emotions.   
From anger, to sorrow, to grief, and even to fear. Yes, he feared.   
Because he knew, it would be soon.   
  
~"I choose the Black Magician and I combine him with the   
magic card 'Magical hats'."  
  
Kaiba watched as the Game King set down his cards in play.   
He glanced down at the cards in his hand and then his own monster   
protecting the field. Keeping his face dead serious, Kaiba couldn't   
help but mentally laugh at the Game King's predicament. He drew   
another card from the deck, hiding his triumphant smile. The game   
would be over in a matter of minutes.   
  
"Blue Eyes White Dragon." Kaiba called to his attacking   
monster, voice cold and commanding. He looked at the four hats on   
the field, one of them hiding the Game King's actual card while the   
others stood as decoys. "I don't care which hat you attack. Either   
way, its over."  
  
Blue Eyes White Dragon, a magnificent beast plastered with   
a white-plated hide, roared, outstretching its claws as if to grasp the   
opponent. Silvery wings expanded to their fullest, making the   
already-large beast more menacing in size. The dragon opened its   
jaw, creating a gigantic orb of brilliant electric energy, pulsating and   
expanding until, no longer able to contain its awesome power, the   
orb exploded in a brilliant beam of light shattering the boundaries of   
sight.   
  
As the attack faded away, Kaiba hid his mild   
disappointment in only striking a decoy. He looked at his opponent's   
part of the field, with a single monster card on the field and several   
others face down, possibly trap cards.   
  
Again, the Game King set a card face down before finishing   
his turn with a rather satisfied smirk. Secretly, Kaiba wished to wipe   
the smirk right off his opponent's face. And so, he set his plan in   
motion.   
  
He put his trump card onto the field, beside another card   
laid face down behind the towering figure of his Blue Eyes White   
Dragon.   
  
"It's been a nice match, Game King." Kaiba felt the sides of   
his mouth curving into a sadistic smile. "But even the best game   
must end."  
  
Having said that, the brown-haired boy flipped over his two   
face down cards, revealing twin images of the same dragon currently   
in play. With a twist of techno-Magic – fed to him by a single disk on   
his arm which he had invented in anticipation to such games – the   
two dormant cards burst into database-enhanced life, each one as   
menacing as the other. All three dragons shrieked a shrill, piercing   
cry, echoing with primal rage as they restrained their terrible power.   
Three sets of beady blue eyes stared fiercely into the diminished   
figure of their opponent.   
  
"Now, I use this card." Having said that, Kaiba threw a   
single card from his hand into the field, watching as the Magic of his   
infused data and technology warped the card into a red chain,   
manacling his three dragons by the neck so that they were only a   
hair's breath away from each other. Kaiba chuckled briefly, savoring   
the look of surprise on his opponent's face. "Its called a 'Demon   
Chain' and it combines the attack powers of my three Blue Eyes   
White Dragons together. Face it, Yu-Gi-Oh, even you can't win."  
  
At first, the look of surprise on the Game King turned into a   
grim expression of defeat. Until now, both opponents had been   
equally matched, each attack inflicting as much damage as the other.   
Even as the Game King searched for a last, desperate strategy, Kaiba   
could feel his own blood trickling down one leg, rubbing the same   
liquid away from his brow as if it was only perspiration.   
  
The Game King licked his bloodied lips in a nervous   
gesture, revealing to Kaiba a pair of glistening eyeteeth, hidden at   
first glance. The tall boy's eyes widened at the sight, although his   
attention was still fixed to the game being played.   
  
"I guess I have no choice." Yu-Gi-Oh stated in a loud, clear   
voice, sending a fifth card into the pile of face-down cards on the   
field. To Kaiba's chagrin, the Game King grinned, confident and   
somewhat leering. "You're right. It's over."  
  
And then, the Game King flipped all five face-down cards   
over. ~  
  
Kaiba gritted his teeth, forcing himself to run faster to forget   
the memory. It had been so simple – such a humiliating defeat. And   
yet, even worse was the sting of punishment and the awful truth of   
the power within the Game King. Or perhaps, was it luck, that the   
card Yu-Gi-Oh drew on that final turn just happened to be the last   
piece of Exodia?   
  
Exodia. Cards made out of legends, powerful in a simple   
match, and even more powerful when played by Magic. It was said   
that when all the pieces of Exodia appeared, the game would end.   
More formidable than all the Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world,   
the card became a living taboo in itself.  
Kaiba shuddered as another scene played in his mind.   
  
~It was over.   
  
Vaguely, through the horrendous screech of his dragons and   
the crackling power of Exodia's attack, Kaiba could hear a voice,   
deep and foreboding.   
  
"Your Punishment is the Shadow Realm!"  
  
As fast as the pain had left, it begun, searing like a gigantic   
hand tearing his flesh out of his skin. The deep jagged cut across his   
head began to throb, a darkness burrowing into the cut, diving into   
the recesses of his mind.  
  
Kaiba screamed in utmost fear as his pupils dilated and his   
face turned an ashen white. Something was gnawing at his soul,   
breaking it into scattered fragments and rebuilding it only to shatter it   
again. Burdened vessels of blood bulged from his skin, strained   
under the pressure of a foreign Magic, a Magic attempting to push   
and pull him, kill and revive him.   
  
A dark gate began to form behind him, sucking with a   
hellish energy, demanding his body. Chaotic winds blew and   
beckoned the prone form of Kaiba, leering at the frail figure   
struggling against the storm. The darkness behind him seemed to   
take life and chuckle, whispering to Kaiba his futile attempts.   
  
And then, oblivion.  
  
The pressure collapsed with a noiseless whisper, the   
shadowy gate returning to wherever it came from. Exhausted and   
finally released, Kaiba fell onto his knees, face hugging the ground.   
His eyes were glazed with tears, face ghostly white and paralyzed.   
  
Vaguely, he heard someone walking towards him, footsteps   
clattering deliberately against the ground. Something prodded his   
body, the touch firm and hard.   
  
Eyes still half-focused and stinging, the tall brown-haired   
boy looked around, careful not to move his searing body. His eyes   
caught the flash of blue fabric, and the slight glow of a something   
triangular and golden. The Millennium Puzzle.   
  
"You're lucky that I changed my mind." Were the only   
words the Game King said as he disappeared into the shadows,   
leaving Kaiba lying against the darkness to recover. ~  
  
That was then and this is now.   
  
At least, that's how Kaiba reasoned to himself. Yet, if the   
past was simply just a memory, why did it always haunt him? His   
hands rummaged and found a wrinkled piece of paper, scrawled in   
thick print somewhat smeared now with a mixture of blood and   
sweat. Although the paper itself was invaluable, the clues it provided   
were priceless.  
  
The tall boy came to a halt in the middle of a strange   
abandoned area, the pine scent of the trees evident even in the murky   
darkness. Adjusting his night-sight goggles, Kaiba walked closer to   
the grove of trees, scanning the area for any clues. He looked at the   
coordinates scrawled on the piece of paper again, double-checking to   
make sure he had the right place. The tall boy frowned. This was it.   
Yet, where was it?  
  
After an hour of fruitless searching, a defeated Kaiba finally   
turned to leave. And without warning, he was suddenly shoved   
against a tree, breath knocked away for the second time that day as a   
tall figure held him by his shirt.   
  
"What are you doing here?" The figure snarled, revealing a   
face with cropped dirty-blonde hair and glowing green-blue eyes.   
The figure had a very beautiful face, almost too beautiful to be   
masculine, although his approach told Kaiba otherwise. But what   
struck Kaiba the most were the twin points of ivory flashing out from   
underneath the upper lip, unnaturally long. And, he began to make   
connections.   
  
"I'm sorry." Kaiba said, in a smooth, guile tone. "I was   
looking for a place, and got a bit lost."  
  
The figure released his grip, letting go of Kaiba and setting   
him on the ground with an abrupt thump. "Well, you chose a hell of a   
place to get lost." This person was even taller than Kaiba, reaching a   
good height of six foot plus, body a lithe and muscular frame. "May I   
ask where you were looking for?" Although the speech was formal,   
there was an underlying tone of suspicion in the words.   
  
Kaiba smiled persuasively, trying to ignore the fact that this   
… person… could easily snap his neck apart – or bite it – and leave   
him there to die. He was about to make up a magnificent lie, when   
something else caught his attention. This person was wearing a   
simple necklace, the bottom of the necklace revealing an intricate   
ornament, hanging loosely at chest level, where it embedded itself in   
his loose shirt. The ornament was of the same colour as the   
Millenium Puzzle, glowing the identical shape, only different in   
structure and, Kaiba assumed, specific power. And then, any nerve of   
not telling the truth abandoned itself from Kaiba's mind, leaving him   
in a state of naïve stupor.   
  
"I- uh – I was looking for an association called 'Club   
0013'." Kaiba heard himself respond, although he immeidately   
wanted to take back his words.   
  
The person did a double take, although he tried hard to   
conceal his shock. "Why are you looking for them?"  
  
"Well…" Kaiba began, and then stopped again. What was   
the point of fooling around the topic? Might as well be blunt and   
suffer the consequences later. "I'm want to know the intentions of   
this association, and why they are rebelling against the Authority."  
  
The person's face stayed neutral. "Why? Are you afraid that   
the Authority is losing its power?"  
  
Kaiba shook his head vehemently, truth evident in his eyes.   
"I have no link to either the Authority or anything else." He   
shrugged, not quite understanding why he was telling this stranger   
everything. "You can call me a kind of free-lance person, working   
with whichever force I see a future for."  
  
"Then why do you come to seek this Club?" The other   
persisted, eyes searching dangerously for any lie.   
  
Kaiba sighed, biting the bullet. "I might just be interested in   
what this Club has to offer."  
  
There was a moment of silence, as the strange ornament,   
which Kaiba now took for a golden hilt of a sword embedded with   
jewels, shone a dark amber.   
  
The figure opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again.   
As if internally debating with himself, he finally opened his mouth   
again. "Come with me." Was all he said before abruptly pivoting and   
walking away.   
  
Hastily, Kaiba followed, wondering slightly what he had   
just said.   
  
****************************************  
  
~This time, it was a majestic open garden filled with a   
rainbow of flowers, some in colours Yuugi could only imagine. Even   
every petal quivered with life, filling the air with a rich aroma,   
slightly sweet and fragrant. As Yuugi walked in the meadow of   
flowers, he felt his heart lift, the brilliance of the sky and earth   
beckoning his mind to laughter and eternal happiness.   
  
"_Come_" The flowers sang, leaves rustling and stems   
swaying gently under a spring breeze. "_Let us guide you. Let us   
give you rest._"  
  
Everything took a surreal quality as the flowers blended and   
shifted together, their hue becoming a gigantic pool of iridescence,   
sparkling like the touch of a rainbow after it has shimmered and   
faded into a million drops of light. Each flower sang their own song,   
wove their own tale, and yet, was part of a whole.   
  
And in the middle of the garden stood a single flower, more   
majestic and brilliant than all the others combined.   
  
Or so, Yuugi had thought it was a flower. But upon second   
inspection, realized that it was actually quite real and living, the   
white that he had mistaken for petals the trim of an elegant dress.   
  
As the small boy got closer to the source, he recognized the   
mistaken flower as his angel, sitting daintily on the ground while   
choosing a careful selection of flowers. He heard her mutter to   
herself as she spoke, rather absently.   
  
"Yes, casablancas were her favourite, and oh! Lillies! How   
could I forget lilies? And there, a violet. They were always a bit shy."   
The angel stooped to pick up the mentioned flowers, fondling each   
one gently. On one spherical bun of hair lay a single red rose.   
  
Yuugi hesitated, wondering if he was interrupting some   
sacrimonious ceremony at hand. He waited patiently at the side,   
watching as his angel picked exactly nine flowers from the ground,   
each one a different species in colour and name. The tenth one   
remained in her hair.  
  
Suddenly, she turned, her long white dress rustling at the   
sudden abrupt motion, wings swaying to one side and snapping   
politely closed in a burst of loose feathers.   
  
"Oh. Hello." The angel nodded politely. "I forgot that you   
were watching. I was rather absorbed in these flowers, you see." She   
pointed to her makeshift bouquet, smiling rather enigmatically.   
"Sorry to have ignored you like that."  
  
Feeling rather awkward, Yuugi shook his head. "Uhm. No,   
its fine." He looked around, as if trying to find words from the   
scenery to fill the awkward gap of silence. "Its not like I can do   
anything else here." He finished, rather lamely.   
  
"You can do anything you want, as long as you put your   
heart to it." The angel quoted in an absently minded fashion, looking   
around for more flowers. She then hesitated, large sapphire eyes   
glancing back at Yuugi again, as her long golden pigtails fluttered   
behind her. "By the way, what flower do you prefer?"  
  
"Well…" Yuugi had never had the time or patience to   
examine flowers, and only knew a few names, most of them ones he   
didn't like in the first place. "I don't really know any flowers by   
name." He finally stated, apologizing right afterwards.   
  
The angel laughed. "Flowers don't need a name. You do not   
choose the prettiest flower by its name, no?" She asked, smiling   
wisely.   
  
Yuugi shrugged. "I guess not." He finally admitted.   
  
The angel beamed, outstretching her arms to the field   
around her. "Well then, what are you waiting for? Choose a flower!"  
  
Not wanting to disappoint his angel, Yuugi looked around,   
eyes scanning each pealed beauty in front of him. They came in all   
shapes and colours, each one prettier than the next, only made   
beautiful by complimenting the other. In fact, they were all pretty; he   
really couldn't choose. As Yuugi looked up, he saw the face of the   
angel still smiling serenely at him, face expectant. The boy quickly   
darted his gaze downwards, plucking on instinct any flower that   
came to sight. He blinked as he realized his choice, taking a better   
look.  
  
It was one of the simpler flowers, bearing petals of soft   
lavender that grew to a fierce crimson in the center. The middle of   
the flower was the uniform yellow hue, almost glowing. Somewhat   
abashed, Yuugi handed it to the angel, feeling awkward for choosing   
such a single, plain flower.   
  
The angel smiled, accepting the gift. "It's hard choosing one   
from a crowd, isn't it?" She asked, fondling the newly taken flower   
with a gentle hand. "But it's even harder standing out from the   
crowd, or accepting that one can be just as unique and different as the   
others." Here, she waggled her other selected flowers, shaking a few   
stray petals off their delicate faces. "After all, choose for yourself,   
not for the others."Having said that, the blond-haired angel   
took a good look at the flower, smelling it slightly. "Hmm.. I would   
have expected a sunflower or something, coming from you, but this   
is a nice choice. A nice change, I should say."  
  
Yuugi didn't know if that was meant to be a compliment or   
criticism, although he couldn't have cared less. "What's the flower's   
name?" He asked, suddenly curious.   
  
The angel shook the flower that Yuugi had chosen at his   
face, winking slightly. "The best flower is one that doesn't need a   
name."~  
  
*************************************  
  
"Sir. There's been another body found on the streets.   
Luckily the man was still alive, although he couldn't remember his   
name or anything. We think he's another victim of those vampires."  
  
The person reporting smartly saluted, waiting for an answer   
from his superior. Sometimes, working as a secret member of the   
Authority wasn't as cut out as it seemed to be, for with this   
prestigious title came a series of promised secrecies and newly   
revealed truths.   
  
The "sir" being addressed to responded by sipping his wine   
glass, flicking on hand over his long silvery hair to reveal in a short   
flash a strange golden eye in the place of a real one.   
  
"That's fine. Bring the body for cross examination, and   
check the neck to see which bite pattern it has." The superior finally   
responded, setting his wineglass down. He already knew who it was,   
although it didn't hurt for the others to know. "Oh, and by the way,   
can you bring me something to eat for my mistress and I?"  
  
The messenger bowed, muttering an "of course" before   
leaving.   
  
After the door clicked shut, the silver-haired man,   
commonly referred to as simply "Pegasus", slid out of his table and   
towards a small cage by one face of the wall. Within the ornately   
decorated cage lay a figure sprawled in a hooded cloak, the dull   
material hiding the face and body.   
  
"Hello, my lovely." Pegasus smiled, his strange golden eye   
reacting slightly to the presence of this figure by fading into a deep   
bronze shade. "Things are getting tough now, aren't they? But don't   
worry – we'll smooth things out. Its all a matter of cleaning out all   
the nasty smudges." He spoke to the figure like an adult to a child,   
voice containing a hidden layer of eagerness as he crooned to his   
"mistress".   
  
He then pulled the fabric of her hood off, letting the material   
slide and fall harmlessly to the ground. In its place stood an exquisite   
woman, face carved with the beauty of an angel. Her hair was a   
warm golden sheen, glowing like a million summers, wrought in twin   
buns that cascaded into long pigtails below them. Her eyes were the   
most brilliant of blue, although strangely dull and unseeing, much to   
the respect of blindness. On her forehead glittered a single crescent   
moon shape, glowing with its golden tips facing the sky.   
  
She whimpered, the noise dying in her throat as Pegasus   
brought one hand to her cheek, rubbing her soft skin with rough,   
caressing fingers. He then stooped over to gently slide a kiss onto her   
fragile lips before stroking her one last time before covering her   
elegant figure once more in the hooded cloak. Dark circular stains   
dripped into the rough brown of the cloak as the woman cried silently   
with her blank, blind eyes. The cage closed ruthlessly in front her,   
again masking any freedom she had sought.   
  
Pegasus looked at his mistress. "Don't give me that face."   
He murmured, again speaking in a soft tone. "Remember? This is   
what you wanted and wished for. You wished for a place with no   
problems, no more hatred, no more isolation. So, this is what I   
promise to achieve for you." He leaned closer to the side of the cage,   
so that his voice only traveled to her ear. "And for you only, my   
Queen."  
  
**************************************  
  
It is after one has two dreams in a night, and where the   
dreams actually make sense, that one begins to suspect that there was   
a very significant meaning to all the alluring images and grossly   
contorted faces.   
  
But now, Yuugi slept peacefully, falling into yet another   
vivid mask of reality, which his conscious mind had yet to grasp.   
  
~The air was slightly cold, dry and arid like the nights of an   
Arabian Desert. On the ground lay a shallow pool of water ankle   
deep, carrying with the slightest disturbance ripples of pure white.   
The pool itself was an ebony black, and the sky a vast midnight blue,   
glorious with billions of twinkling stars and even a vague arc of a   
fading aurora. Oddly enough, the pool reflected not the face of the   
sky, but a single shadow, slouched as if meditating.   
  
Curious, Yuugi drew closer to the sitting figure, although a   
sense of deep foreboding overwhelmed him, as if he was trodding in   
a forbidden sanctuary. A nagging voice in his head persisted him to   
turn back, to be released back to the light and away from the strange,   
dark world. It wasn't an evil world, but held within it a power rare in   
solitude.   
  
As the small boy approached the shadowy figure, the face of   
the figure looked up, revealing large doleful brown eyes, staring into   
an unimaginable space. The face was gentle, sparkling white hair a   
mirror image of the ripples colouring the dark pool.   
  
And yet, because this Yuugi belonged only to the mind of   
his unconscious, the boy was not afraid to take a step closer.  
  
Silvery locks glistened as the figure locked eyes with Yuugi,   
eyes widening slightly and body jerking like a frightened deer. The   
figure's mouth was locked in a silent gasp, almost a plea, as he   
shrank away from Yuugi's advancing form.   
  
Yuugi looked at the person, and recognized it as a name he   
had forgotten in place of bad memories and terrible nightmares.   
  
"Oh, hello Bakura." Yuugi acknowledged vaguely,   
wondering with the absence of truly conscious thought.   
  
The figure - a tall, slim Bakura, jumped timidly in   
recognition of his name. His gaze traveled downwards; afraid to meet   
Yuugi's own.   
  
"Hi." Bakura finally stated, not daring to look up, although   
his face reflected off the surface of the black pool.   
  
Yuugi glanced at Bakura, curious. "Why are you looking   
down?" He asked, slightly bemused.   
  
The silvery-white haired boy opened his mouth to speak, but   
then closed it again after his first attempt at words failed. "Ar-aren't   
you angry at me?" Bakura finally asked, voice hushing to a barely   
audible whisper.   
  
"Why should I be?" Yuugi was confused. This Bakura –   
there was something about him that Yuugi refused to believe, that   
Yuugi absolutely refused to associate with the Bakura of his   
conscious nightmares. Something about this Bakura… something   
_real_. "You're my friend aren't you?"  
  
Bakura closed his eyes, swallowing the word painfully,   
summoning a strangled regret. "Y-Yuugi." He stuttered, looking   
away from the smaller boy. "Please. I'm sorry." The white-haired   
boy looked absolutely miserable, a pitiful figure easily swallowed by   
the darkness around him.   
  
"Sorry for _what_?" Yuugi came closer to the taller boy,   
clasping one of the white-haired boy's cold hands with his own.   
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about."  
  
The taller boy shook the gesture of friendship away. "Stop it   
Yuugi. I'll only hurt you." He shuddered, hands suddenly tugging   
against a golden amulet tied around his neck. Only managing to   
choke himself, Bakura collapsed to the ground, the pool expanding   
with ripples of newly-disturbed water. Managing a feeble whimper,   
the silver-haired boy looked back at Yuugi, eyes still pleading. He   
was curled in a tight ball now, as if fending his own body from   
something apparent only to himself, face ashen and haunted. "Leave.   
Please." He managed to beg, voice falling short to small gasps as the   
strange ring around his neck glowed softly in the dark.   
  
Despite this, Yuugi sought to comfort the pitiful figure,   
drawing closer. "Please, Bakura. Tell me what's wrong." He pleaded,   
eyes compassionate.   
  
"You."  
  
Yuugi whirled around, looking for the source of this new   
voice, eyes wide as he suddenly realized there was another figure   
behind him. This person appeared almost in thin air behind him, his   
dark and menacing as he sneered, face contorted into a mocking   
laugh.   
  
Yuugi stepped back. That person… it was….  
  
The real Bakura, the one still fallen on his knees, looked up,   
a sudden frightful cry escaping from his nerveless lips.   
  
And the strange _other_ Bakura, one with glistening fangs   
and an elegant eager smile recognized the whimper as prey, dark   
eyes falling on the source.   
  
Yuugi was shoved to one side as suddenly, both Bakuras   
were face to face with each other, the strangely dark Bakura grasping   
the other one by the collar of his sweatshirt, laughing in glee at the   
fear of the innocent Bakura's face.   
  
Dark-Bakura laughed. "Running, are we?" He purred,   
sliding the other hand under his double's shirt, sharp nails creating a   
dark red pattern under his double's soft flesh.   
  
The normal, shy, quivering Bakura stared mutely back,   
letting his other's nails cut shallowly through his skin without even a   
murmur of protest.   
  
Yuugi stared in revolt at the scene, his own mind flashing   
back to a very familiar memory, playing like a double in his mind.   
He wanted to cry out and help the _real_ Bakura, and yet, felt   
powerless to do anything but watch with disbelieving eyes.   
  
Suddenly, Dark-Bakura tore off his double's shirt with a   
single careless flex of his arm, revealing the exposed stomach and   
chest, which now rose and fell in sharp, unnatural pants. The blood   
trickled from the soft skin, falling downwards and creating small   
ripples in the dark waters below. Dark-Bakura only grinned as he   
saw his other's pain, throwing his head back in a mocking laughter.   
  
Part of Yuugi wondered why the real Bakura didn't do   
anything as Dark-Bakura ran his tongue along his other's bare chest,   
hot breath creating trickles of steam on the smooth, exposed skin,   
licking up all the offending streaks of crimson.   
  
Then, without warning, Dark-Bakura took his crudely   
sharpened fingernails, piecing them straight into the flesh of the   
stomach, watching with frenzied glee as five points of dark crimson   
began seeping, eddying and pooling around his embedded nails.   
  
Bakura cried out in pain, writhing weakly as the Dark-  
Bakura took his hand away, examining the blood that soaked his   
nails with amusement, tasting them slightly. With a quiver a slight   
restraint, Dark-Bakura shivered, laughing with his low, mocking   
laughter. He laughed even harder as his other lay paralyzed in fear,   
enjoying every moment with ecstasy.   
  
For a single moment, Dark-Bakura's eyes turned to Yuugi,   
whom the small boy thought he had been long forgotten. Dark-  
Bakura grinned, leering. "What's the matter, kid? Too rich for your   
tastes?"  
  
Yuugi closed his eyes as he heard the Real Bakura scream, a   
scream reflecting fathoms of pain and dying emotions as drops of a   
liquid fell like rain into the water around them, echoing with harsh   
"plunks" every few seconds. There was the tearing of tissue, ripping   
with a strangled muffled tone while the cracking of bones could be   
heard, breaking the silence with dull clicks, oddly musical. The last   
thing Yuugi heard was a constant thumping, like the drumbeat of a   
heart, suddenly emitting a loud squelching sound, oozing with liquid   
as it was squeezed it into silence. ~  
  
With a sudden tweak of his conscious, Yuugi woke to the   
echoing of dripping water, wondering again where he was as his eyes   
tried to adjust to the night. That was, wondering until a sudden   
involuntary jolt of his body snapped him back into reality. It was the   
strangest sensation, feeling yourself do an action with someone else's   
control. Yuugi watched dumfoundedly as "he" gave a discontented   
sigh and wrapped his jacket tightly over himself, shoving a few   
strands of golden hair away from his eyes.   
  
All of this, Yuugi experienced concealed in a small hollow   
world while his "real-life" body acted in a larger world. In _the_   
world to be precise. Yuugi's spiritual self gave a slight mental yawn,   
giggling as he realized that his "real self" gave a sudden yawn not a   
split second afterwards.   
  
//Something funny?// Yami-Yuugi grumbled, folding his   
physical body's arms over his hands, since he was the one who had   
control at the moment.   
  
Yuugi shook his head, and then realizing that he couldn't   
actually do that, spoke up. /N-no./ His smile brightened, expression   
radiant. /You just look so cute huddled up like that./  
  
//Hnn.// His Yami muttered. //Well, if you tried sleeping   
here, you'd end up being huddled in this position too.//  
  
Yuugi sent out a mental pulse of gratefulness. /Thanks,   
Yami./ He smiled in amusement as he felt his other blush, his real   
cheeks tingling, although an odd sensation void of feeling.   
  
//Hmph.// Yami-Yuugi responded, although it was obvious   
that the Darkness felt more than a simple "hmph".   
  
/You're so sweet./ Yuugi murmured, envisioning his   
frowning Yami. /You pretend to be tough and all, but I know that   
you care./  
  
//Easy for you to say.// Yami-Yuugi muttered, although the   
tingling blush seemed to have spread furiously.   
  
Suddenly, a strange clankling sound interrupted the two   
from their mental conversation, jerking the Yami back into the reality   
where he protected his Aibou with, well, himself.   
  
The Yami's eyes peered out from the strange, hollow tube in   
which he had slept in for the second consecutive night, vampiric   
night-vision allowing him to pierce the darkness effortlessly. Dark   
crimson eyes fell on the shape of a fleeting figure disappearing over a   
fence.  
  
Although Yami-Yuugi saw the figure forever nameless,   
Yuugi immediately recognized this disappearing figure for whom he   
was.   
  
/That's Jounochi!/ Yuugi cried, suddenly remembering with   
a startling jolt the dying figure of Bakura, much like this fleeting   
shadow. He bit back the nightmare with a slight gulp. /I wonder what   
he's doing here?/  
  
//You know him?// Yami-Yuugi questioned, eyes never   
leaving the spot where Jounochi was last seen before he disappeared   
out of sight completely.   
  
Yuugi nodded. /Yeah. I wanna go see him./  
  
And yet, Yami-Yuugi was distrustful of this "Jounochi"   
person, the Darkness labeling Yuugi's friend as part of the Authority.   
// He might be dangerous.//  
  
/Yami!/ Yuugi protested. /Jounochi's my _friend_/  
  
//Bakura was too// Yami-Yuugi quipped back.   
  
/He still is!/ Yuugi replied, not missing a beat.   
  
Yami-Yuugi blinked. //But you… never mind. I'll follow   
him first and questioning will have to come later.//  
  
/'kay/ Yuuig replied, waiting patiently in his Soul Room.   
  
In reality, Yami-Yuugi crawled slowly out of the cemented   
shelter, careful not to hit his head on the shallow top. Once outside,   
he unfurled his slim body, steadying and familiarizing himself on   
both feet before taking to the skies with a powerful leap.   
  
Three other similar leaps was all it took to reach the   
pinpointed position, and then Yami-Yuugi began scanning the night,   
knowing that Yuugi's friend couldn't have gone far in such darkness.   
Of course, he was right. Only half a block away was the form of the   
Jounochi boy, blonde hair rougher than ever, shoulders hunched   
almost fearfully. The blonde-haired boy now walked with a slight   
limp to one leg. Occasionally, Yami-Yuugi (and Yuugi) could hear   
snatches of curses and other mutterings, although they eventually   
faded away due to distance.   
  
/Please./ Yuugi pleaded his Yami. /Let me speak to him./  
  
Reluctantly, Yami-Yuugi complied, letting the smaller boy   
slide back into his body. Yuugi stood there for a few seconds as he   
readjusted to his physical body, letting the material world slide back   
into his mind once more. Then, he began running, footsteps pounding   
noisily against the pavement as he ran towards his friend.   
  
Upon hearing the footsteps, Jounochi turned around, gazing   
with blank eyes at the darkness around him. "Who's there?" He   
asked, voice haunted and slightly scared.   
  
Yuugi paused, walking a few more steps forward until his   
small face shone under the soft moonlight. The small boy was a few   
steps away from his friend, panting slightly as he stood to regain his   
breath. "Don't you remember me, Jounochi-kun?" Yuugi asked, eyes   
searching and desperately pleading.   
  
Jounochi gave a sigh of relief, rushing over to the smaller   
boy with barely contained glee. The blonde-haired boy took Yuugi   
by the shoulders, giving him a small shake to ensure that Yuugi was   
indeed real. Then, Jounochi laughed, hugging his friend tightly.   
"Thank Kami-sama [A/N: God]."   
  
Yuugi endured the hug with a light heart, smiling at the   
actions of his friend. "Sorry, Jounochi." He began apologizing. "I- I   
was sick for along time." Yuugi half-lied, not sure if even his friend   
would believe the truth.  
  
Jounochi's expression became suddenly stern. "Yuugi. Stop   
playing around with me. There's something up, an'…" The blonde-  
haired boy paused, as if trying to restrain the anger flashing in his   
eyes. "Look. Everything's really wrong now. You were right, you   
know - _they_ were pulling the wool over our eyes the whole time."  
  
Yuugi didn't need to be a genius to know who _they_ were.   
  
//This Jounochi seems to know something.// Yami-Yuugi   
remarked genially in Yuugi's mind.   
  
Yuugi gave a mental nod. /I'm _positive_ we can trust him/   
  
//Ask him why he thinks that there's something wrong   
first.// Yami-Yuugi persisted, obviously still cautious.   
  
Yuugi complied. "What do you mean by 'there's something   
up', Jounochi-kun?"   
  
The haunted look returned back to Jounochi's face, the taller   
boy's face turning ashen-white. Jounochi looked around the darkness   
several times, as if checking for spies. Eventually, he deemed it safe   
enough to whisper to Yuugi in a tight, choked voice. "Th-they   
_took_ Anzu…" The tall boy slammed his fist against the side fence   
in frustration, voice an agonized tone Yuugi had never heard in the   
blonde-haired boy before. "Damn them. Now they're after me, but it   
was only friggin' blind luck that Honda warned me in time. And…   
Honda's gone too. The whole lot, Yuugi. They're all gone. Vanished.   
Disappeared."  
  
Yuugi listened as Jounochi continued in the same strain for   
some time, babbling as if the secrets of yesterday with disappear   
upon the face of tomorrow.   
  
Yuugi listened to the directions of his Yami before choosing   
his words carefully. "Jounochi. I want to help them as much as you   
do, but we have to first analyze the scenario without panicking."  
  
However, Jounochi continued babbling. "They're after   
_you_, you know. At first, I thought it was just some stupid   
examination they always run, but it became obvious after the others   
didn't come back. And then… Bakura. Oh geez, I've never been   
scared so shitless as I was with Bakura. He- he…" The blonde-haired   
boy continued in the same strain, oblivious to the small boy beside   
him, or maybe simply needing someone to blurt all his pains to.   
  
"Are you sure it was Bakura?" Yuugi suddenly asked, the   
sad brown eyes of the silver-haired boy re-playing in his mind. "Not..   
not a fake?"  
  
"I thought it was." Jounochi confessed. "But it _had_ to be   
Bakura. I mean, I was just talking to him, and then…" The blonde-  
haired boy stopped talking, talking a few gasps as he again began   
restraining himself. "Oh jeez. I've _never_ seen Bakura like this."  
  
//Hmmm…// Yami-Yuugi observed. //Interesting.//  
  
/What?/ Yuugi asked, wondering if his Yami knew   
something valuable.   
  
//I believe that there are more Millennium items than just   
this Puzzle you wear.// Yami-Yuugi observed. //That means that   
there are lots more people with "Yami's". One of them most likely   
Bakura.//  
  
And then, it all made sense. /I knew it!/ Yuugi stated.   
/Bakura _isn't_ evil – it was his Yami all along!/  
  
//But we're making a big assumption here// Yami-Yuugi   
interrupted. //Assuming that he wasn't evil to start off with. //  
  
"I know Bakura isn't evil." Yuugi stated, both mentally and   
out loud. "Just like how everything isn't as it seems to be. But, at   
least, we can try to discover as much as we can, and get as much help   
as we need. Then, at least when they come, we'll be prepared."  
  
Jounochi nodded, scratching his head slightly. "Yeah. I   
guess." The blonde-haired boy seemed to have recovered from his   
slightly catatonic state. "Then I guess we better start brainstorming   
some ideas."  
  
Yuugi nodded. "Right. First, let's find a way to rescue Anzu   
and Honda."  
  
//Which means we pay the Authority headquarters a nice   
visit.// Yami-Yuugi concluded, tone both eager and dismal.  
  
*******************************  
  
Pegasus smiled, as he held his glass of wine up to his caged   
"Queen" in a mocking salute. "They're coming." He stated before   
laughing a rich, derisive laugh. "Why don't we pay them a visit?   
After all, its not every day that the Game King comes to your   
backyard."  
  
And here, long, silver-haired man laughed again, his voice   
echoing among the empty and silent hallways like the whisper of a   
million banshees.   
  
A muffled sob came from the cage, lapsing into   
nothingness. And under the dull folds of fabric, clutched in one pale   
hand was a single flower, slightly lavender and crimson, though   
forever golden.  
  
****************************  
  
End notes:  
  
Thanks again to those who reviewed – it gives me an idea of what   
you think and also tells me if I should continue or not ^.~ If you   
want it more graphic, I shall try my best ^-^V  
  
Extra thanks go to Atarashii, Madame Ruby, and Myst-Lady, who   
each have excellent fics of their own. And also, to - - NC - - (who   
also has a crescent moon-bearing, winged angel ^.~), and Melinda,   
whom I shall take time to wave to and say "hi"!  
  
I was listening to the ending theme song for the first season of Yu-  
Gi-Oh – ahhh ~ =^.^= I love that song! * Zoo listens to her MD   
while singing off tune*  
  
Kaiba: Shut up! *throws a stereo system at Zoo*  
  
*CLUNK*  
  
Advice of the week: Always aim before you kick. Especially in   
martial arts. *Zoo hops on one foot, while uttering a whole bunch of   
colourful language*  
  
Next time:   
- Let's go and find Anzu and Honda… assuming they're still alive  
- Come and meet the members of Club 0013! 


	6. Setting the Traps

Usual Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! I do own Pokemon   
though ^-^. Ne? Don't I?  
  
Eevee muse: *sweatdrops* You wish....  
  
I'm in a serious jam right now. Its called... *drumroll*   
homework. Also, I have been slaughtered by numerous rejections   
for my fanarts and fics. I think I'll just sit down and cry now...  
  
*hugs Eevee and Yuugi plushies while sobbing*  
  
*********************************  
  
"Bring me my Bow of burning gold:  
Bring me my Arrows of desire:"  
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 6: Setting the Traps   
  
The alarm rang down the corridors, shrieking   
intermittently as it wailed its urgent tune. A chain reaction seemed   
to have spread across the workers, arousing them from their   
dormant sleepy states into a flurry of excitement and newfound   
agitation.  
  
Despite this sudden emergency, Pegasus remained   
unpreturbed, calmly sipping his wine in the vast deserted expanse   
of his chamber. Briefly, a golden gleam flashed across his strange   
ornamental eye before disappearing back into the darkness under   
his lengthy silver bangs.   
  
He refilled his wineglass twice before standing up,   
although neither drunk nor sedated as his single real eye glanced   
across the room. Briefly, that eye fell upon his huddled "mistress",   
softening a bit before resuming its steely hue.   
  
"Looks like we have company." Pegasus murmured,   
straightening his red jacket self-consciously. He sighed, almost in   
regret. "It's really too bad. I was enjoying my dinner, but I should   
have known that it wasn't wise to choose dinner at a time like   
this."  
  
The strange man then laughed at his own sentence, as if   
finding something rediculously hilarious in those words. There was   
a the clicking of polished shoes against an equally polished floor,   
the sliding of an electronic door, and finally, the hiss of the same   
door slamming shut before everything returned to silence.   
  
Everything, except for the nervously rustling garments of   
the single caged resident.   
  
**************************************  
  
"Kaiba-san."  
  
A voice addressed the tall boy, cool and smooth in tone,   
much like his own Computer. Seto Kaiba turned around, coming   
face to face with an even taller woman, perhaps in her late thirties;   
sporting long green hair half-tied in a single bun, and blood-red   
garnet eyes. Her tanned face would have been elegant, had it not   
contained an expression void of emotion, calm and composed.   
  
"What is it?" Kaiba grunted, upset at having been   
disturbed from his research.  
  
The woman's gaze briefly traveled to the computer screen   
on which the boy had been examining before shifting back to eye   
contact. "I am well aware that you are searching for restricted  
information." She began, tone as emotional as a slab of granite.   
"Be warned though - the Authority leaks no vital information, save   
the intentional."  
  
Kaiba laughed, tone ridiculing and harsh. "Don't play   
games with me. I can hack into anywhere and anything I want and   
I'll crack the secret of the Authority and of this entire 'Game' once   
and for all."  
  
"I too once thought that I had such power and control."   
The dark green-haired woman mused, smiling enigmatically.   
"After the time passes by, though, you begin to learn. You see,   
there is no secret. Obtaining secrets, even from the Authority, is   
almost irrelevant to our task."  
  
Kaiba snorted. "You say that you bunch are in opposition   
to the Authority, planning to create a new and reformed world. If   
so, how come you just sit in the background and watch everything?   
If you wanted to revolutionize the world so much, why not actually   
try?" He huffed, rather annoyed at this intruding woman. "Unlike   
the rest of you, I'm actually trying and doing something. I actually   
want to win."  
  
"This Game is not about winning or losing. It is only   
about watching and learning. That is all."   
  
And true to her words, that was all the woman said before   
politely closing the door behind her, eyes fixated on Kaiba until the   
last moment. And the tall boy couldn't help but feel intimidated   
under her impassive glare.   
  
*******************************  
  
As soon as the same green-haired woman re-entered the   
common room, everyone stirred, eyes gazing expectantly at this   
arrival.   
  
"So, Setsuna, what did he say?" A young woman asked,   
auburn pony-tailed hair bobbing slightly.   
  
Another girl snorted, tossing back strands of long ebony-  
violet hair. "Huh. I wouldn't be surprised if he gave you the 'I'm-  
so-superior-for-the-world' conversation."  
  
The green-haired lady, Setsuna, only shook her head.   
"There is nothing to worry about. Kaiba-san is very  
important, as he has a great role to play in the future. Never   
underestimate anyone, especially your allies."  
  
The auburn-haired woman tossed herself back on the   
couch, hands over her head in defeat. "All right. If you wanna   
work with him - enjoy!"  
  
"Our mission is not to enjoy anything." Setsuna retorted,   
voice serious. "As 'Club 0013', we are empowered with a serious   
task. Our task is to prevent the Authority from re-creating the   
mistakes of the past. And only when we free humanity from the   
chains of the past will we have achieved our task. Argument has it   
that we do not have enough power to break out all these chains,   
which is where the Talismans come in handy." Setsuna paused,   
letting everyone contemplate before continuing. "_Our_   
Talismans, unlike the other Talismans, the Millennium Items,   
represent our past selves, given a second chance at the future. _We_  
are the consequence of that past, and as long as we remember this,   
we will not falter from our goal." At long length, she stopped. "Now, if you  
would please, Ami, may you file a current report?"  
  
The girl being addressed to, Ami, was a petite woman,   
short blue hair and glasses making her appear highly esteemed.   
She took out her clipboard, scanning over her notes one more time   
before clearing her throat. "As you know, the infamous soul of the   
Game King has found his way to a vessel."  
  
There was a murmur of aroused voices, which eventually   
died down under Ami's glare.   
  
"There are also numerous others who have such   
Millennium Items, although I am sure, none with a role as   
important as the Game King's." Ami added, noting dryly the   
almost strained faces of the listeners. "Now, everything is   
beginning to move. The Authority is beginning to show signs of   
weakness, which signals the turn of a tide and the beginning of the   
end. Now is the time to act and take positions."  
  
Setsuna politely thanked Ami before standing up again   
and continuing. "We have already began to arrange   
duties for either survey or for more... friskous actions."   
Here, Setsuna said this, looking at the smirking face of a handsome   
short blonde-haired woman. "Now, I shall read out your assigned   
roles. Make sure that you are ready and well-prepared before   
beginning your new tasks."  
  
"Finally!" Someone called out, sporting a trademark   
red bow in her long, blonde hair. She flung herself off   
from her seat in anticipation. "I hate this stupid waiting! We can   
finally fight and make progress to our mission."  
  
Setsuna sighed, almost wearily. "We have already progressed  
without fighting," The woman began, but upon realizing that no one  
was listening to her, retraced her steps. "All right. Assigned   
rolls."  
  
"Mizuno Ami."   
  
The short blue-haired girl nodded at the sound of her   
name.  
  
"You will be in charge of all communications and data   
management, since Kaiba-san is currently engaged in the hacking   
and private information systems."  
  
"Aino Minako. You will join Tenou Haruka and Kaiou   
Michiru as part of the battle force, ensuring that the Authority   
never finds the whereabouts of Club 0013, and also ensuring the  
protection of the innocent."  
  
The three women being addressed to, a bright-eyed   
blonde, a taller and huskier dirty blonde, and an elegant, teal-  
haired lady each nodded, leaving the room upon consent.   
  
"Kino Makoto and Tomoe Hotaru."  
  
The two woman, one a tall auburn pony-tailed girl, and   
the other a considerably shorter, black-haired girl also responded at   
the sound of their name.   
  
"We need steady hands to ensure the safety of our Club. If   
anyone gets hurt or needs nourishment, it is up to you to take care   
of them."  
  
Finally, the green-haired woman turned to the last of the   
room's participants. "Hino Rei, you shall come with me. My   
foresight is not so clear these days, clouded by the strange powers   
of this Authority, and I hope to use your own skills to break this   
barrier."  
  
The last girl, a long, violet-black haired girl nodded, eyes   
serious.   
  
And so, the room was emptied by the clicking of footsteps   
followed by the snap of lights shutting off, returning it into its   
darkened state. The door creaked slowly behind it and then, there   
was nothing more.   
  
*********************************  
  
Darkness. Shadows everywhere. That, and the flash of   
images flying past him, each a grey unidentifiable blur. Nervously   
pushing sweaty golden bangs away from his eyes, Yuugi scanned   
the sight in front of him.   
  
Even after the sirens rang, signaling Yuugi's unwanted   
intrusion, the small boy continued his quest, beads of sweat   
staining his already-damp skin. Behind Yuugi was Jounochi, not   
faring any better as he would jump at every sound and motion.   
  
Both boys hastily crept through another door, careful  
not to make a sound. After re-checking their safety, Yuugi slid the   
door closed behind him, opening the lights in the strange  
room. He and Jounochi had roamed the deserted halls for quite   
a while, unsure of what to say as the sirens blazed a   
warning and yet signaled no one. A part of him was afraid, very   
afraid. What if the Authority was waiting for him, massing   
together to overwhelm him? What if they were holding Anzu and   
Honda as ransom? A million 'what if's' crossed his mind, each one   
for the worse.   
  
Momentarily, Yuugi glanced at his best friend, the taller   
boy sitting with his back against the door, drawing in long muffled   
breaths.   
  
"You know, Yuugi. If they catch us, we're history."   
Jounochi muttered from his position, his voice as minimally loud   
as possible.   
  
Yuugi nodded, dismissing the comment as the blonde-  
haired boy had mentioned it a good three hundred times during the   
entire ordeal. And it wasn't over yet.   
  
There was a strange whirring sound over the hum of the   
lights, although both Yuugi and Jounochi were too exhausted to   
have noticed. But someone else did.   
  
//Wait!// The Yami's voice came in a sharp bark,   
//There's someone watching us!//  
  
That caught the younger boy by surprise. Frantically,   
Yuugi looked around, although there was no one in this empty   
room save him and Jounochi.   
  
//Not a _person_!// Yami-Yuugi sent a mental image of a   
strange item, square in shape with a protruding glass lens. //It's   
by the corner of that wall, called a security camera and able to   
monitor every single of your actions.//  
  
Yuugi boggled at that thought. /You mean, this 'Security   
Camera' knows where we are?/ A pit fell in his stomach, his tone   
flattening into sudden disappointment.   
  
//I'm afraid so.// Yami-Yuugi's tone was as tense as   
Yuugi felt. //It will only be a matter of time before they pinpoint   
us. Our best bet is to keep on moving so they can't track us.//  
  
Yuugi voiced his agreement before standing up. "We've   
got to go right now, Jounochi." He proclaimed, voice urgent.   
  
Jounochi gave Yuugi a puzzled look, but to the boy's   
credit, did not complain and simply followed the spiky-haired boy   
out the door. As they left the room, the whirring sound fell silent,   
the rectangular device flashing a consistent red.   
  
Suddenly, there was a loud click, resonating against the   
once-silent hallways and echoing with a million screams. Both   
Yuugi and Jounochi jumped, hearts pounding fiercely in their   
chests, frozen with fear of being discovered. Instinctively, both   
boys backed up, until they were back-to-back with each other, each   
scanning a part of the room that the other missed.   
  
"See anything?" Jounochi muttered, still too afraid to   
move, lest he walk right into the Authority's traps. A part of him   
knew that he was going to be caught anyway, and regretted into   
sneaking inside the most guarded and secretive association known.   
Why was he here anyway?  
  
Yuugi simply shook his head. "Nothing. I think they   
might be-"  
  
The boy never finished his sentence as suddenly a   
muffled yell emerged from one of the many corridors leading to   
their spot, followed by the harsh pounding of footsteps and flashes   
of fleeting shadows against the whitewashed walls. The fluorescent   
lighting gave off an eerie glow, silencing the hallways against the   
disjunct tapping of footsteps, rapidly becoming louder.   
  
Usually, Yuugi was a very calm and reasonable boy,   
admired for his ease to make the right judgments at the right time,   
always making sure to meticulously analyze a situation before judging.   
However, there are many types of judgments. And Yuugi decided   
in less than a blink of an eye that this type of judgment was not one   
to think clearly and reasonably on.   
  
Therefore, it was to no surprise that he panicked, body   
filled with adrenaline and a steadily growing fear. As fast as his   
short legs could carry him, he ran, racing down the hallways until   
they became a steady blur, the world around him falling to jagged   
ups and downs. Vaguely, he was aware of Jounochi following right   
beside him, although it remained a mystery to why the taller boy   
could run no faster than Yuugi.   
  
"They're- gaining... on... us..." Jounochi panted between   
gasps of air, often frantically looking back as his face rapidly   
drained of any colour it had left. The yells behind them were   
becoming excited and frantic, the shouts and patters of rapid   
running like lust-filled hounds eager to seek their prey.   
  
Yuugi closed his eyes. It would only be a matter of time   
before they found him. Already, his legs wobbled uncontrollably,   
exhausted and bearing a fatigue he refused to believe. His mind   
was yammering with a million warning signals and mourning   
shouts of regret, each one louder than the other. If only... if only...   
if only!  
  
//Yuugi!//  
  
Only after his Yami had repeated his name five times did   
Yuugi realize that someone was trying to contact him.   
  
// You're going to get nowhere in this blind panic. You   
guys have to split up.//  
  
Split up? Even with this peak amount of fear, Yuugi felt   
somewhat insecure to part with his friend, afraid both for Jounochi   
and himself.   
  
//Unless you both want to be caught, I suggest you split   
up right now!// Yami-Yuugi's voice came in not as a warning but   
as a command.   
  
"Jounochi..." Yuugi spluttered out, ignoring his dry lips   
which cracked and bled with the strain. "Split up... now!"  
  
"What?" Jounochi squawked, almost tripping and   
slamming into the side of a wall as the pair turned another sharp   
left. "You crazy?"  
  
Yuugi shook his head. "It's our best bet."  
  
With a last dubious nod, the taller boy agreed. "Fine   
then." He laughed nervously, despite the situation, dry laughter   
turning into a hacking cough, courtesy of his burning lungs. "If I   
die, just make sure that you hold a decent funeral for me. No   
flowers though - they give me hay fever." He continued talking   
despite the situation, somewhat unaware of his babbling tone.  
  
And Yuugi listened to it with all seriousness, as do many   
panicked, frenzied minds. Then, the duo gave a last parting look at   
each other before banking off to different pathways, Jounochi   
veering to the left while Yuugi slammed against the wall and   
rebounded with a sharp right.   
  
Fortunately, the pursuers were momentarily confused at   
this change of tactics. Unfortunately, they knew what to do. That   
is, they split forces.   
  
//Shit!//  
  
Yuugi heard that much from his Yami before his   
screaming mind overtook his senses. His lungs gasped with each   
breath as he sought to overcome this endless fleeting nightmare.   
  
And as luck would have it, things decided to come to an   
abrupt end. That is, the winding pathway that Yuugi had chosen up   
to now came to a dead end, sealing off all escape. Frantically,   
Yuugi glanced around, trying to spot a door, window, or anything,   
although none came to sight. What was he going to do? Was this   
the end? Yuugi's mind wailed despairingly, like a caged and   
trapped rabbit, helpless against the large hulking forms that   
threatened to kill him. An icy cold chill swept across the small boy,   
and Yuugi couldn't help but wonder if that was the same chill that   
those who saw death felt.   
  
//-WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME!!??//   
  
Yami-Yuugi's tone came in an agitated yell, obviously   
irritated and as panicked as Yuugi felt.   
  
// I _can_ help you, Yuugi.// The Yami grated, once   
Yuugi's mind cleared enough to at least provide a path for   
coherent thought. // Don't you trust me?//  
  
Yuugi wanted to remark that right now, when he was   
face-to-face with being caught and killed, trust or faith didn't   
really matter. However, he fell short of time, and finally withdrew   
his control to switch places with his Yami. Besides, what was there   
to lose?  
  
Suddenly alternating between watching and acting, Yami-  
Yuugi was at first overwhelmed and paralyzed by the simple   
thought of decisions, billions of them swarming into his mind,   
yammering with unhelpful suggestions. And more than ninety-nine   
percent of them screamed "run!". Of course, Yami-Yuugi chose to   
listen to that other one percent.   
  
The hunters came now, each one uniformed in a black suit,   
wearing sunglasses that masked their stoic eyes, frames bulky and   
a good ten feet in height, heads almost touching the ceiling. And   
every figure had the same meaningless expression of glee, fixated   
at being only moments away from its prey.   
  
Yet, Yami-Yuugi was not prey. Oh no- he never was. The   
Darkness's eyes narrowed as he shifted into a firmer stance, planting   
his feet against the linoleum ground.   
  
/What are you going to do?/ Yuugi's voice asked, curious   
and yet surprised.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked. //You'll see.// His own crimson   
eyes analyzed the movements of each of his opponents before   
falling to the lead opponent, who was now parting from the crowd to make a   
move. And the Yami laughed; baring his fangs and letting them glint   
against the artificial light as he watched his new opponent try to   
intimidate him by crackling bony knuckles.   
  
"Pathetic." Yami-Yuugi spat, voice contemptuous. "Do   
me a favour and die, wont you?"  
  
There was a sudden pause as the tall, bulky Authority   
pawn realized that he was no longer able to feed on his opponent's fear.   
However, the man continued to grin rather dumbly, beady eyes   
hidden under the black glasses. "You won't be saying that once we   
get a hold of you." He chuckled, motioning for the others of his   
group to circle closer.   
  
To the Yami's credit, Yami-Yuugi did not balk at the   
sudden confrontation against these multitudes of opponents, but rather,   
folded his arms over his chest, face set in his trademark smirk.   
Briefly, there was a flash of light from his forehead in the symbol   
of a strange third eye, although its suddenness made it seem   
an illusion.   
  
"Lets play a game, wont we?" Yami-Yuugi licked his   
lips, muscles amazingly relaxed as he talked to the head person of   
the group, as if unaware that they were about to either maim him or   
capture him - or possibly do worse. Crimson eyes gazed levelly   
into the dark reflection of the Authority troop leader's sunglasses.   
"You guess how many of your people I kill. If you're   
right, I spare your life. Otherwise..." Despite the sheer incredulity   
of his statement, his voice was serious, containing a confident and   
smug tone that trailed into a hidden threat.  
  
/I don't think bluffing helps in this situation./ Yuugi   
panicked inside his Yami's mind, half-afraid and half in awe over   
his Yami's confidence.   
  
//Maybe you should just close your eyes.// Yami-Yuugi   
replied smoothly. // Things are going to be a little.... Rough//  
  
The head person facing Yami-Yuugi paused, as if the   
words had not sunk into his mind properly. Then, he threw back   
his head and laughed, a harsh bark ridiculing and mocking.   
"You're funny, kid." He replied. "However, spunk isn't gonna   
save you. As for your 'game', I predict, zero."  
  
Yami-Yuugi shrugged, slightly closing his eyelids,   
making him appear half-asleep. "If you say so."  
He then leant back against the wall, slouching against the   
shadows and diminishing his already thin frame. Crimson eyes   
sparkled underneath half-closed lids as Yami-Yuugi watched the   
bulk of Authority members spring into action, charging and   
leaping towards him like a rough gang of wolves set to tear a rabbit   
apart.   
  
And yet, the head of the pack stood to one side, his taller   
bulk sticking out from the crowd of gangly Authority members,   
smiling and confident face too impassive to be called a coward.   
"Tie him down."  
  
Compliant, the minions struck, stretching limbs and   
brandishing fists as they scrambled to grab a piece of   
the Yami.  
  
However, 8000 years of experience did not come to   
waste. The once-invisible Sennen eye, a permanent marking of the   
Ancient Magic, burned a brilliant white on Yami-Yuugi's   
forehead, colour changing to a dull ochre as the Yami began to   
chant in a soft hiss, language of an age long forgotten.   
  
Just as the first fist attempted to make contact with him,   
Yami-Yuugi completed his strange ritual, the glow of the Sennen   
Eye disappearing into the fire of his eyes. He shoved his knee   
against the first assailant's stomach, snapping his fist backward to   
grind into another opponent's nose while slamming his heel   
against the groin of a third. All three simultaneously collapsed,   
making room for the eager crowds of the others as they rushed to   
fill the sudden space around the Yami.   
  
And the captain of the Authority assault group watched   
with disbelieving eyes as Yami-Yuugi took out another three   
attackers, snapping his foot into a spiraling kick flung by   
momentum to knock out a fourth.   
  
Unable to restrain his battle-lust, Yami-Yuugi began to   
chuckle, a low rumble that grew in intensity, drawing upon power   
and confidence. The Puzzle around his neck began to glow,   
flashing with a million facets of light.   
  
And when the Yami realized that he was completely   
surrounded and unable to counter all attacks at once, he suddenly   
fell still, closing his eyes and laying his index and third finger so   
that the tips touched his forehead. The ground around him grew   
deathly silent, a foreboding wisp of wind ruffling his hair as the   
Puzzle dropped into a deep crimson hue.   
  
Time began to slow down, lapsing into nothingness, the   
actions of each attacker freezing on the spot, their faces a painting   
of anger and lust. Till now, the hidden Magic of the Puzzle was   
compiling and pooling into a gigantic node of power, waiting to be   
released and exercised. And till now, the Yami had held the power   
at bay, like a trump card.  
  
Yami-Yuugi dropped his poised hand.   
  
And the world around him exploded into a millions of   
fragments of darkness, slicing across time and space, each a solid   
curve of deadly Magic. The curves danced and collided with each   
other, pooling like ripples of the ocean. And like a gigantic   
tsunami, they overwhelmed those who stood in opposition,   
whether shocked and unaware or grim and perceptive.   
  
Yami-Yuugi watched almost lazily as his summoned   
Magic sought the soft flesh of his assailants, slicing through bodies   
in perfect arcs as they danced and flashed repeatedly, eager to   
carve apart more flesh; to spill more blood before fading away to   
nothingness.  
  
There was the howl of anguished cries, screeching as the   
arcs of Magic hit them, randomly slicing apart an arm or impaling   
them by the neck. Scattered and serrated limbs stuck against the   
walls, redecorating the once-white face into a painting of glittering   
crimson. And on the ground lay the heavier parts of the body,   
crudely disassembled so that they leaked and splurged out blood,   
the once-contained vital fluids spilling into the floor and covering   
the ground with an almost pungent layer. Some of the more   
ravaged bodies had been elongated or grossly distorted as organs   
stuck out, no longer contained, torn or shredded until they burst,   
revealing the odd stench of undigested food or perhaps the dark   
maroon clumps of bloody tissue. Layers of filmy white covered   
these organs, the incomplete membrane lying folded against each other,   
sometimes spread out and plastered so that they formed a strange   
gauze over the background of crimson.  
  
Lastly were the heads, some of them no longer   
recognizable as heads, although the odd gleaming, curved skull could   
be seen jutting out from flesh or mats of hair. Sometimes the   
eyes gazed permanently in accusation while others lacked eyes, the   
liquid that once held their eyeballs having ruptured, now dripping   
down their empty black sockets.   
  
In the middle of this entire scene of carnage lay the still   
form of Yami-Yuugi, perhaps not as still as he seemed, half-hidden   
under the shadows. He seemed to be wearing a glove on one hand,   
licking the glove, although closer inspection revealed that it was   
not a glove at all, but a layer of shimmering scarlet.   
  
Bile built up in the leader of this once-alive assault   
group's mouth, being the only remaining survivor of that single   
attack. The leader's face drained of colour, watching with fixated   
eyes as Yami-Yuugi scooped up another handful of blood, lapping   
it up cat-like with his tongue, oblivious to the same liquid staining   
his fair skin and clothes.  
  
"Y-You..." The tall burly man said, using the remainder   
of his self-dignity to restrain himself from babbling in fear. His   
voice lowered to a hush of disbelief. "You... killed them. _All_ of   
them."  
  
The triggering of the remaining live voice seemed to have   
stirred Yami-Yuugi out of his blood bath. The Puzzle around his   
neck was no longer glowing, although his eyes still shimmered   
with power.   
  
"Ah yes." Yami-Yuugi smirked. "You like my little trick,   
don't you? It's a form of Shadow Magic, the Blood-Binding   
Spell." The Yami paused for a moment to wipe his mouth,   
absurdly irrelevant and yet oddly chilling. "The price of this spell   
is of course, blood." Here, Yami-Yuugi waved his other free hand   
almost vaguely at the sea of red, sometimes lumpy, pooled around   
him.  
  
Any remains of self-restraint abandoned the tall   
Authority-bidding man. "Holy Shit!" He swore, almost at the stage   
of wetting his pants. The man spoke with a tone of recognition,   
finally realizing for the first time that Yami-Yuugi was no ordinary   
person. "You're _him_ aren't you?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi stood up, the blood that had pooled and   
seeped into the fabric of his shirt dripping and re-staining his   
already crimson pants. He bowed, mockingly. "Many people call   
me the Game King, though I have had many names before that.   
Yet as this name suggests, any Game I play, I dominate. And you   
have fallen under the trap of my Game."  
  
Not surprisingly, the good ten-feet and three hundred   
pounds of muscled man broke down, falling onto the group and   
burbling incoherent words that could almost be seen as apologies.   
"Please don't kill me." The pawn of the Authority pleaded,   
beginning to babble and cry, as do many who brush death face to   
face.   
  
Any compassionate person, upon seeing the suddenly   
broken spirit of the man, would have automatically let him be,   
marking him as insignificant. Yet, Yami-Yuugi had never been   
raised to be compassionate. So now, as he gazed levelly at the   
pleading man, he felt no pity but a deep sense of disdain. The   
powers of the Authority had brainwashed this man, making him   
into their toys, and now, this _slave_ had to be killed.   
  
The Sennen Eye on Yami-Yuugi's forehead glowed   
fiercely, wisps of darkness suddenly coiling and expanding from   
the floor, grasping at the targeted man's legs.  
"You lost." Yami-Yuugi shouted, amidst the sudden   
furious screech of winds and fluttering shadows, seeking to suck   
and confine the defeated opponent. "And now, your punishment   
is the Shadow Realm!"  
  
The man screeched and begged for mercy as the darkness   
sucked his body, wrapping him with a shadowy membrane and tugging   
his bound body into a gigantic chasm of darkness, which had   
unfolded behind the prey. The once-Authority pawn had lost his   
sunglasses, and though the tendrils of shadows bound his   
mouth, his eyes still pleaded blindly and desperately for some   
hopeless miracle.   
  
Yami-Yuugi was not a believer of miracles, and did not   
pay attention.   
  
/STOP IT!/  
  
Suddenly, the Yami felt someone roughly seizing   
control, as if trying to overwhelm his senses. With the loss of   
concentration, the Magic disappeared, darkness shriveling and   
evaporating until they left a choking man, paralyzed with fear, still   
alive although barely conscious.   
  
Yami-Yuugi growled, mental and physical voice tinged   
with fury. //What are you doing?// He cried, angry of having been   
deprived of his Punishment Games.   
  
And everything came to a grinding halt; the Yami suddenly   
plunged into a strange spiritual world, not unlike his own Soul Room.   
  
Darkness pooled around him, infinitely confining, though in the   
midnight sky stood a single shining star, almost too far away to be  
seen. This star had a familiar face, much like the face of....  
  
.... His Aibou.  
  
Large violet eyes mournfully gazed into crimson ones,   
pools of silvery-white tears dripping and staining the small face,   
falling onto the ground with half-hearted plunks. The expression of   
Yuugi's face was one of complete shock and pain, devastated as he   
stood still, a piece of light frozen forever.  
  
/Yami.../ A voice traveled across the fathoms of   
darkness, though the Yami's body remained rigid.   
  
/Yami.../ Yuugi's voice echoed again.   
  
The Yami said nothing as he simply stared at his other.   
  
Momentarily, Yuugi cast his eyes down, one hand   
rubbing away the tears before fiercely glaring at his other self.  
/You promised me! You said you would protect me!/   
Here he laughed bitterly, conjuring mental images of carnage, of   
death, of lust. /What kind of protection is this? Are you protecting   
me from others or am I really protecting myself from _you_?/  
  
Yami-Yuugi was listened, speechless. He opened his   
mouth to retort, to say something soothing and slightly appeasing,   
yet nothing came out. Time rippled and lapsed around them,   
drifting into a rift of silence.   
  
Yuugi's face was masked with agitation and agony,   
mouth parted slightly open, eyes wide and unblinking. Both his   
fists were clenched firmly together, revealing the tension within his   
small frame.   
/Answer me, Yami!/ He collapsed, golden bangs covering his   
face as he fell onto his knees, staring at the ground while fresh   
tears brimmed and threatened to spill. /Why? Do you _hate_ me? Is this your   
way of showing me that you really don't care?/  
  
Why? Why indeed? Yami-Yuugi was completely aware   
of his Aibou's anguish, aware that he had suddenly violated a   
sacred spirit, unintentionally breaking the innocence with his   
brutality and desire for revenge. He had been selfish; and now,   
only now, after 8000 years of dormant sleep did he begin to realize   
that he had not lived at all.   
  
After all, Darkness is nothing without the strength of the   
Light.   
  
Yuugi, eyes still fixated downwards, jerked in surprise as   
he felt a firm pressure on his shoulder. His head traveled upwards, to   
see a beautiful face, much like his own but completely different.   
And he felt the sorrow of that face, and the need for repentance.   
  
//Forgive me, Aibou.// Yami-Yuugi murmured, lips   
beside the ear of his other, voice sincere and wistful. //Forgive me   
for having forgotten you, my only Light.//  
  
Yuugi whimpered, although it was uncertain whether the   
sound was from fear or relief. /I'm so afraid that you'll do   
something really horrible./ He confessed. /And, I wont be able to   
stop it./   
  
The small boy buried his head against his other's chest,   
feeling the rise and fall of his Yami's breathing as well as a   
consistent soft heartbeat. Suddenly, something fell onto his face,   
something moist and slightly warm, like a raindrop. Startled,   
Yuugi looked up, to see his Yami hastily wiping his eyes.   
  
Upon seeing the look of surprise on his Aibou's face, the   
Yami broke into a smile, touching his own moist cheek, once   
graced by a single tear.   
//Crying.// He muttered absently, fingers still tracing an   
invisible line down his face. //And emotion I could only imagine. It's   
funny that now I'm dead, I have all these feelings.//  
  
/It's not funny at all!/ Yuugi retorted. /I cry all the time,   
but it doesn't mean that I get hurt more than you. Everyone gets   
hurt, but keeping it to yourself will only make it worse./ The small   
boy looked up at the face of his other, seeking for compassion in   
those crimson eyes. /I-I'm glad that you cried. It makes me   
understand that you can feel and _do_ care, even if you don't show   
it most of the time./  
  
//Then teach me.// Yami-Yuugi stated, bringing his head   
down to the smaller boy's face, lips grazing lips gently. The single   
interaction blossomed, mouth now traveling across the face and   
sliding down the neck, hands idly tracing down each other's bodies   
to explore and embrace.   
  
There needed to be no more exchange of thoughts as both   
Darkness and Light clutched each other tightly, drawing from the   
comfort and desire of the other. And it was only then when both   
realized that they were not so different at all.  
  
Here, Yami-Yuugi couldn't help but voice a chuckle.   
//We might be the same, but I'm still taller.//  
  
A squeak of indignation was heard from the other.   
  
//Speaking of that, I'm also smarter, and faster...//  
  
What Yuugi did will be left to the reader's imagination.   
  
***************************************  
  
Jounochi looked from the rusting iron bars of the cages,   
trying for the umpteenth time to wrestle them open. Of course, this   
yielded no result.   
  
Angry at haven been caught so easily, enraged at having   
been beaten and struck down so badly, and furious at having been   
treated like a sac of dirt, the blonde-haired boy screamed, taking   
out his frustration on the metal bars, ignoring the jarring pain of   
firm metal against soft flesh and bones.   
  
"Damn!" He shouted in this empty room, voice resonating   
as he repeated this single phrase several times. "Damn them all!"  
  
Completely absorbed in his thoughts and flurry of anger,   
Jounochi remained completely oblivious to two figures advancing   
towards his cage. Both of them hastily scurried towards the cage   
like twins points of flowing water.   
  
Jounochi jerked up in surprise as he heard the grating of   
metal against metal. His eyes scanned the half-dark room, falling   
onto two cloaked figures; one of them holding a strange device in   
one hand while the other looked around, searching for danger. He   
was about to scream and tell them off when he realized that they   
couldn't have been guards. If they were guards, why were they   
_cutting_ open into his cell? So, the blonde-haired boy wisely held   
his tongue and temper, crawling towards these possible rescuers.   
  
The cloaked figure with the strange device began to   
speak, barely audible against the grating sound. "Look. We're here   
to help you escape."  
  
However, Jounochi was never a believer of sudden flukes,   
and began to grow suspicious. "What for? Why would you help   
someone like me escape?"  
  
The other figure snorted, voice dry and sardonic. "I knew   
he would say that."  
  
"You'll just have to trust us." The first figure said, now   
having broken several bars, making an opening large enough for a   
small child to fit through.   
  
Jounochi was still dubious, although he wistfully eyed the   
opening. "Give me a reason to trust you."  
  
"Mutou Yuugi did." The figure replied. Another bar broke,   
yielding a considerably large opening.   
  
The blonde-haired boy gave a start. "You guys know   
Yuugi?"  
  
"More than you'll ever realize." The other figure's tone   
was still dry, although it contained a degree of sincerity.   
  
Jounochi shrugged. Ah... what did he have to lose? It was   
better than risking things as a prisoner, anyway. The blonde-haired   
boy nodded. "Fine then, lead on."  
  
The last bar broke with a muffled snap as Jounochi   
escaped into freedom.  
  
******************************************  
  
  
Pegasus Says:  
  
*There is an empty room with a recording machine in the middle.   
Suddenly, the machine sets off, having been set at the EXACT pre-  
recorded time*  
  
Pegasus's voice: Hello. I didn't bother to come and reveal my   
glorious and powerful self because I have better things to do.   
However, I had predicted that I had no choice but to do this, and   
after realizing my fate, I pre-recorded this tape so that you may   
hear my melodious voice even when I'm not here.   
  
*The table sweatdrops*  
  
Pegasus's voice: The moral of today's story is that I can predict   
anything I want, and there is nothing you can do to deter me from   
determining your fate. Don't laugh because I know that your   
skepticism will only lead you to demise. Namely in the form of   
losing a duel to me.  
  
*the choking of various listeners is covered by the sound of   
Pegasus sipping wine*  
  
Pegasus's voice: And don't make any comments about my wine   
sipping. I know you're doing that. I also can read your every single   
move, but since I'm so much better than you, I'm not even going   
to bother. By the way, I predicted that you would think I'm a jerk   
for saying that, so I decided to make this recording as long and   
drawn out as possible to irritate you more.   
  
*Finally, Zoo bursts into the room, taking out a GIGANTIC   
Zanbata (think Kenshin) battleaxe and slicing the recording   
machine in half.*  
  
Pegasus's voice: *from another source* Hah! I predicted that Zoo   
would break apart the first recording machine, so I have, of course,   
prepared a second one.  
  
Zoo: -_-;; Don't even tempt me...  
  
********************************  
  
Author's notes:   
  
Arigatou to Smeaghead for commenting on my preview!  
  
By the way, the Talismans I refer to are not related to  
Talismans from any other crossover! *eye twitches at the thought  
of a Yu-Gi-Oh!/Sailor Moon/Jackie Chan Adventures crossover*  
  
One question: Is Pegasus related to Bakura?  
  
Eevee muse: Hai! *image of Bakura with wings and a horn, talking   
to a certain pink yamhead*  
  
Zoo: *Whacks Eevee muse for that bad crossover pun* Not _that_ Pegasus!   
I mean, Maximillion Pegasus!  
  
Eevee muse: *Shrugs* Dunno. Why don't you ask the readers?  
  
Next time:  
  
- let's visit Grandpa!  
- the match you've all been waiting for! What happens when the   
Yami's of Bakura and Yuugi collide?  
  
Some strange yaoi fanfic author: You get lots of groping and   
feeling!  
  
Zoo: @.@ I did NOT need that... 


	7. The Price of a Tribute - Part 1

Disclaimer: I own all your pathetic lives and the whole world!   
BWAHAHAHAHAHA-  
  
*thinks for a moment*  
  
Then again, why would I want to own your pathetic lives? Forget it... I   
don't own anything, not even Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. -_-;;;.  
  
BTW: I'm not changing the format of my story - gomen.  
  
~ dream sequence ~  
/ Yuugi talking to Y.Yuugi/  
// Yami-Yuugi talking to Yuugi//  
  
********************************  
  
..."So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into   
the past."  
  
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby  
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 7 - "The Price of a Tribute" - Part 1  
  
  
"And on the weekends, I wake up super early just to help my   
Grandpa with his shop."   
  
It was just a bit past dawn, the sun having risen over the dark   
line of the horizon, spreading its phoenix-like form on majestic wings   
painted from a sacred red to a golden, glimmering yellow. Tendrils of   
darkness, chased away by the call of the sun, escaped hastily, fading away   
to reveal a placid light-blue face, slightly flushed from being hidden for   
so long.   
  
And it was at this time that Yuugi was talking, happily   
conversing with his Yami. After an hour of pleading and cajoling, the   
small boy had finally convinced his Yami to walk beside him, as if the   
latter were a real person or friend, instead of some strange spiritual   
guardian. Yuugi had confessed to his other that it comforted him, to see   
his Yami outside, not always confined to the actions of a single body.   
And although Yami-Yuugi had complained and grumbled a lot, especially   
on how dangerous it was for Yuugi to be alone - which Yuugi then   
countered by replying that Yami-Yuugi was still beside him - the Yami   
seemed to be enjoying the freedom. Sometimes, his visual manifestation   
would walk beside his Aibou, or other times, crane his neck, gazing   
almost in awe at the dilapidated buildings that compiled around them,   
having been abandoned for so long that its only inhabitants were saplings   
and moss growing on its once-firm surface. And times in between, Yami-  
Yuugi would fluctuate from illusion into solidity, kicking a stray pebble   
aside or bringing his hand against the smooth edge of dying granite walls.   
  
Both of them were traveling across the Old City now, the   
abandoned city, full of wives' tales concerning ten-headed beasts and   
other fanciful creatures mutated enough to discourage the general public.   
Yet, Yuugi was now an outcast, so figuring that he had nothing else to   
lose, the boy bravely picked his way across the eerie ruins, aware of their   
silent songs and hollow thoughts, speaking wistfully of times once   
spectacular. It was only an added bonus that his Yami, striding beside   
him, provided some comfort and protection in the strange, solitary   
wasteland.   
  
"You must like your family a lot." Yami-Yuugi finally said,   
breaking the silence for the first time since their excursion, husky alto   
slightly amused. The morning light glinted of his sharp eyeteeth, only   
emphasizing his unnatural presence.   
  
Yuugi nodded his head vehemently, spiky hair bobbing up and   
down. "You bet! Ojiisan is the best! And Mom - well, you should see   
how great she cooks. Wait until I intro-"  
  
Abruptly , the boy stopped talking, and it seemed as if in that   
single moment, the weight of everything that had happened finally fell on   
him, chaining his spirits to the ground. And yet, the boy only faltered for   
a single moment before picking up the beat again, bravely fighting   
against his chains with twice the spirit. "Mom would probably freak out if   
she saw you," Yuugi confessed, as if that was all he had meant,   
"Although Grandpa would definitely be cool about it."  
  
To his credit, Yami-Yuugi pretended to ignore the shift in   
moods. "I'm sure your family are nice people."   
  
Again, Yuugi nodded, about to open his mouth to add a   
comment when he suddenly came up with a brilliant brainstorm. "Hey!   
Just because they can't see us doesn't mean we can't see them!" The   
smaller boy shouted, elated at such an idea. "I propose that we visit them   
right now, and see how they're doing. That way, you can see them too!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi shook his head, rather condescendingly. "I don't   
know about that." He muttered, voice dubious and always slightly   
negative. "It might be dangerous, and we might get discovered."  
  
"Just because it's dangerous doesn't mean that you cannot do it."   
Yuugi retorted, still to happy to have his bubble burst. "Besides, you're   
the one who always lives on chance and risk, so you should be used to it."  
  
The Yami opened his mouth to protest, but upon realizing that   
his Aibou had gotten him pinned down perfectly, sighed in defeat. "All   
right." He finally consented, "But only for a few moments." He hastily   
added, watching as Yuugi cheered.   
  
***********************************************  
  
It had only seemed like yesterday when Yuugi was running   
down these streets on the way to school, book-bag on one hand and jacket   
clenched in the other. And now, as Yuugi strolled down the very same   
paved and cobbled streets, each stone and denture invoked a small   
memory, a past dream, a million thoughts and moments of the past,   
disappearing as fast as they came. Another wave of sadness and regret   
washed through the smaller boy, but he swallowed it again like a bitter   
pill, unwilling to wallow in faded desires.   
  
"A penny for your thoughts."   
  
Yuugi looked up, to see the face of his Yami, smiling kindly at   
him. The smaller boy shook his head. "Nah. Just speculating. I always   
do."  
  
Yami-Yuugi chuckled. "I've noticed."  
  
The pair turned along another corner, passing by a stolid red-  
brick building and then a long white-washed fence. Dirty sneakers   
trundled across damp grass, soaking the faded grey material into a slight   
unhealthy green.   
  
Suddenly, Yami-Yuugi snapped his head, turning sharply to the   
right, glaring at something that wasn't there.   
  
"What is it?" Yuugi asked, curious and intrigued as he watched   
his Yami stare at what appeared to be nothing.   
  
"Someone..." Yami-Yuugi didn't finish his sentence, although   
in his mind embedded the image of a white-haired figure fleeting down   
the streets, disappearing as fast as he came, wearing a strange golden relic   
around his neck. The relic was oddly familiar; the Yami could have sworn   
he saw the Sennen Eye engraved in the center, although it was too far to   
be sure. And it was then that a strange prickling sensation overtook Yami-  
Yuugi, a sudden glimpse of a foreboding premonition dancing in his   
mind.   
  
"Wha-" Yuugi chased after Yami, who had sudden dashed off in   
what seemed to the smaller boy to be a sheer act of stupor or hidden   
obligation. "Wait! Where are you going?" The boy tried his best to keep   
up with the taller form of his Yami, already beginning to grow out of   
breath.   
  
Yami-Yuugi silenced the boy with a look. "No time to talk. I   
think your Grandpa might be in danger." Was his grim reply.   
  
Lavender-violet eyes widened even larger. "What? Grandpa's in   
danger?"  
  
Even in the middle of leaps and stride, Yami-Yuugi managed to   
shrug, talking fluently as if he were still walking. "I don't know." He   
confessed, "But it's just a feeling."  
  
"How... good are your... 'feelings'?" Yuugi persisted, voice   
edged with a growing worry.   
  
Since Yami-Yuugi had never been instructed on the ways of tact,   
he replied with all sincerity, or, as most people like to put it, bluntness.   
"I've never been wrong."  
  
Yuugi was about to scream in panic, when the duo suddenly   
came face to face with a spectacle that forced them to silence.   
  
Yuugi remembered his house since the day his grandpa had been   
promoted and assigned into it. The house was a simple ordinary shelter,   
the outside face an exact parallel to every other house on the   
neighbourhood - in fact, the same house as everyone in this society.   
However, his grandpa had made a few alterations, such as a gigantic   
wooden board which wrote "Turtle Game Shop" in proud green letters   
hanging above the doorframe, as well as small chimes that would jingle   
lightly every time a customer entered via door. His own room, directly   
above the makeshift shop, had always been slightly small and most of the   
time messy, littered with scattered arrays of flying paper as well as the   
occasional pen or unused articles of clothing.   
  
But now...  
  
Now... it didn't matter did it? And, as Yuugi stared, unbelieving   
at the sight in front of him, his mind feel into a long lapse of sheer mental   
shock, unable to comprehend what was going on. His house was gone,   
completely annihilated, the oak walls and friendly shining windows now   
a simple black scorch on the ground, remainders of its past pride in the   
form of charred wood, sticking out from the smoldering ruin like   
landmarks lost in time.   
  
Tendrils and lingering wisps of smoke rose from these ashes,   
flaring suddenly in hues of burnished red before withering back into   
darkness. Only that, and the fresh acrid smell of burnt wood, hinted that it   
had not been long since the house had burnt down.   
  
And Yuugi stood, staring in complete devastation. Tears fell   
from his eyes like fragments of crystal, although they remained opened   
and unblinking. Like a lifeless statue, Yuugi stood, frozen in time as he   
simply stared, numb mind unable to act.   
  
Yami-Yuugi gazed in discomfort at his other, aware of the agony   
burning in his Aibou's chest. The Darkness shifted awkwardly, clearing   
his throat slightly to try and gain the smaller boy's attention. Of course,   
there was no response. Finally, the Yami took a deep breath, summoning   
all his courage to give his other a rough shake on the shoulders, half-  
afraid of how Yuugi would react.   
  
Yuugi did nothing.   
  
Yami-Yuugi shook his other harder, and finally was forced to   
slap Yuugi forcefully on the cheek, leaving a red welt on the smaller   
boy's soft skin, although the tears continued to trickle down the stinging   
cheek.   
"Speak to me!" Yami-Yuugi called in frustration, anger making   
him act irrationally, although compassion making him restrained and   
confused. The Yami had never lost anyone close to him before - and now   
it hurt him just to see his other in that position, sitting limp and devastated   
like a broken rag doll.   
  
A small whimper escaped from Yuugi's throat, dying as fast as it   
came.   
  
It was the saddest thing, to see the only person one has loved,   
break apart, falling like ashes to the wind. Yami-Yuugi's felt his   
breathing contract, chest tightening painfully, binding and squeezing his   
heart. The Darkness looked at his broken Aibou, and in a sudden   
impulsive action, wrapped his arms around Yuugi's small frame, body   
arched as if to protect his other from the world. He nuzzled the smaller   
boy's soft hair, leaning his face against Yuugi's slim shoulder.   
  
"I'm sorry, Yuugi." Yami-Yuugi finally murmured, although   
those words felt awkward and unused. "I'm sorry."  
  
Yuugi said nothing, but the smaller boy's eyes seemed to have   
lost their stunned stare, now gazing at the scene of wreck with sad   
acknowledgment.   
  
"Aww... what do we have here?"  
  
A dry voice suddenly rang out amidst the silence, breaking the   
moment of solitude and remembrance. From the shadows slid a tall, lithe   
form, slightly sinewy and menacing, hair a glittering silvery-white. The   
figure bowed, mockingly, the strange golden amulet around his neck   
flickering with facets of light. "Sorry to have interrupted your little   
emotional act, but I was running out of tissues." As the figure smiled,   
white canines glistened under the sun, dull blue eyes mischievously   
menacing.   
  
Yami-Yuugi snarled, leaping with arms outstretched as if to kill   
the intruding figure with his bare hands.   
  
And Yuugi did another double take as he watched the white-  
haired boy agilely dodge Yami-Yuugi's attack, trading the attempted   
blow for another, which Yami-Yuugi hastily avoided. His mind began to   
swirl uncontrollably, head pounding as he raced through millions of   
implications. His house was burnt, which meant that his grandfather and   
mother were either dead or going to be dead. His friends had all   
disappeared one by one. Now, this strange dangerous person was   
threatening his Yami....   
  
Dangerous? Wait! Yuugi _knew_ this person! It was... it was -  
  
"What do you want here, Bakura?" Yuugi shouted, watching as   
now, the two figures circled each other like two wolves seeking for   
dominance, eyes never leaving the figure of the other.   
  
The white-haired boy's lips curved into a sadistic smile, voice   
coming out in a pounding low hiss. "Call your Yami off and perhaps I'll   
tell you."  
  
"It's a trap!" Yami-Yuugi immediately countered. "The moment   
you turn your back on this weasel, he'll kill you!"  
  
"Now why would I want to do that?" Yami-Bakura mocked,   
voice keen and dully sarcastic. "It's much more fun taunting you like   
this."  
  
Yuugi's mind reeled as he sought to make sense of the entire   
conflict, sought to resolve this sudden tension. In the corner of his mind   
lay the image of a sad-eyed boy, unruly white hair splayed in all   
directions as he lay motionless in the grasp of his own replica. Yuugi's   
eyes then traveled back to the flowing form of _this_ Bakura, and he   
started to make connections.  
  
"You're a Yami, aren't you?" Yuugi concluded, voice rising in   
realization. "You're Bakura's Yami - his complete opposite!"  
  
"Maybe." Was the demure reply, although the answer was   
obvious. "Or maybe this is the real me and the other whom you think was   
real the copy."  
  
"Bullshit." Yami-Yuugi spat out right afterwards. "You're as   
real as I am, and judging from your actions, unworthy of your namesake."  
  
"Namesake?" Yami-Bakura countered back, laughing harshly.   
"Get this straight. I _am_ the rightful owner of this body, whether you   
like it or not. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out."  
  
Yuugi listened to this entire conversation, mind reeling.   
"Figured what out?" He asked, standing like a prone figure from the   
bleachers.   
  
"Your soul is comprised of two sections. One Light and one   
Dark. Without my Darkness, the person whom you know as simply   
'Bakura' would be no more." Yami-Bakura gloated.   
  
"You lie!" Yami-Yuugi exclaimed. "Yes, there is a Light and   
Darkness, but they are different and aware of each other. Each part has a   
_different_ purpose, though they may share the same experiences. It is the   
Yami's goal to _protect_ his other, not to force it into submission!"  
  
Yami-Bakura snorted. "You were always such an idealist. You   
and those others. I can't stand the likes of you."   
  
"Then let me free you from you misery." Yami-Yuugi snarled,   
baring his fangs menacingly.   
  
"Try me." Yami-Bakura responded with a similar action,   
crouching into an offensive stance. "You like Games, don't you, Game   
King? Then, let's take this challenge to the Shadow Realm."  
  
Yami-Yuugi responded with a curt nod. "Fine. But Yuugi stays   
here."  
  
"I made no such promise." Yami-Bakura sneered, bringing his   
hands to touch the golden Millenium Ring hanging from a loose cord   
around his neck. The Ring began to glow a dark amber, flashing   
erratically and spilling out a maelstrom of shadowy winds.   
  
Before Yami-Yuugi or Yuugi could react, the world around   
them reeled into darkness, everything spinning and sucking into a   
gigantic black void.   
  
*****************************************  
  
Yami-Bakura sneered as he straightened himself from the rough   
landing into the depths of the Shadow Realm. This place was a nether-  
world, once rejected and anticipated by many because of the potential in   
both the Power and Punishment it held. It was a place called upon by   
many a sovereign of the old, now as dead and forgotten as their lost   
kingdoms, save the few who dared uncover its mystery.  
  
The white-haired Yami walked across the strange atmosphere,   
stopping at the unconscious body of Yuugi, who lay crumpled in a small   
heap, golden Millennium Puzzle resting lightly on his chest. Self-  
consciously looking around for any signs of danger, Yami-Bakura then   
leant over the small boy, kicking the limp body roughly with his foot to   
confirm Yuugi's unconscious state. Then he laughed, chuckling gleefully   
as he leant over and grabbed the golden Puzzle, fingers clasping around   
the smooth golden face.   
  
Without warning, the Puzzle began to glimmer, the light-gold   
sheen intensifying until it projected a blinding white light, making Yami-  
Bakura back up a few paces to shield himself from the sudden glare.   
Yuugi's eyes suddenly snapped open, although it was no longer Yuugi,   
but rather, his Yami, which stood to attentiveness, glaring at Yami-  
Bakura as he protectively held his Millennium Puzzle.   
  
Deep crimson eyes bore into sapphire blue ones. "You haven't   
changed." Yami-Yuugi muttered in disgust as he elevated himself to a   
level where he stood relatively face-to-face with the other white-haired   
Yami. "Still trying to steal all the Millennium Items. Are you so desperate   
as to go after the _Puzzle_ now, even though you know you can't use its   
Magic?" The King of Games's voice was smug, although it contained the   
same tone of disdain.   
  
"Idiot." Yami-Bakura laughed, dark blue eyes slanted under   
locks of greyish-white. "It's not _just_ the Puzzle I want but all of the   
Millennium Items. For it is said that he who can obtain all the Millennium   
Items will have unlimited Power."  
  
"Power, Pride, Greed, Lust." Yami-Yuugi said these words,   
spitting out each syllable. "That's all you ever concern yourself with. Too   
bad you're too dense to realize it any other way."  
  
Yami-Bakura growled angrily, eyes fierce and menacing.   
"Enough of this stupid idle talk! I'm sick of your dumb morals. I came   
here to challenge you to a Game, and I challenge you now."  
  
"Consider it granted." Yami-Yuugi replied, not missing a beat.   
"Name your Game and your stakes and I shall accept."  
  
"You should know that the stakes are much higher directly in the   
Shadow Realms." A tongue rang across ivory fangs as Yami-Bakura   
continued to speak. "The price I name is therefore the conventional -   
your soul. Oh, and might I add, you're not just playing for your soul but   
your soul-called 'Light's' soul too."  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened as he realized for the first time   
since his appearance into the Shadow Realm that his Aibou was missing.   
"Yuugi!" He cried out, searching vainly for the presence of his other,   
although finding none. "What have you done to him?"  
  
"Play my Game and you shall find out." Was the only reply.   
  
Yami-Yuugi growled. "Fine! Let's duel!"  
  
Without even stating the rules or procedures, both Yami's took   
into their hand a set of cards, each one representative of a monster or   
power. However, the real power lay in their own perseverance and use of   
Magic. The cards were simply added as a guide, a layout of rules, nothing   
else.   
  
Yami-Yuugi picked a card from his hand, analyzing the picture.   
"I call upon the Winged Dragon!" He shouted. Then, he closed his eyes,   
recalling his experience from his past as he invoked his Magic. He had   
once been a master of the Shadow Games and he would be so now.   
  
"Interesting." Yami-Bakura commented. "A flying-type of   
Magic." He sneered, looking at his own chosen card. "In fact, I'm _so_   
scared that I'll just play the defensive for this turn."  
  
Yami-Bakura continued to smirk as Yami-Yuugi summoned a   
gigantic demon from the image of his card, the demon resembling a   
gigantic blue pteradon, jaws open wide, flashing rows of serrated teeth as   
it screeched menacingly.   
  
"Winged Dragon! Attack the card!" Yami-Yuugi commanded   
with no hesitance, his voice ruthless.   
  
And yet, Yami-Bakura still held his smug and superior air. He   
watched as his destroyed card momentarily flared to life, a strange   
bloated lizard that gave a last squeak before scattering into fragments. He   
then began to laugh, shaking his head in disdain. "Too bad. You just   
attacked my Electric Lizard. And it doesn't like to leave the field without   
putting up a good fight."  
  
Yami-Bakura touched his Millennium Ring, making the dull   
gold flare to life. "I guess I'll have to do that for it." The empty space   
between his two hands suddenly flared to life, dancing with bolts of   
electricity that crackled and fizzed in jagged streaks. Giving no warning   
time, Yami-Bakura attacked, snapping his right wrist in a sudden   
throwing motion as a discus of electricity danced across space, hungrily   
leaping towards its target. That target of course, was Yami-Yuugi.   
  
Fortunately, split-second decisions were second nature to the   
Game King, and he reacted by recalling his own monster, re-absorbing   
his summoned Magic. His figure shimmered slightly, the Sennen Eye   
glowing as a pair of feathered wings flickered into existence from his   
shoulder blades. Faster than time could count, the wings unfurled   
themselves, black tips outstretching to an impressive span, easily   
enveloping the diminished form of Yami-Yuugi in the centre. With a flex   
of his newly-accumulated wings, Yami-Yuugi shot off into the air,   
gaining altitude as he agilely piloted himself through the brunt of Yami-  
Bakura's electrical assault. There, he hovered in mid-air out of attack   
range, although his sharp eyes allowed him to see all to clearly the moves   
of his opponent.   
  
Yami-Bakura growled at this sudden change of tactics.   
"Interesting, using your monster's Wind element to fabricate your own   
Magic. However, that puts you directly into the line of fire. Perfect prey   
for my Man-Eating Bug." The white-haired Yami summoned his card, his   
own Magic, enhancing his monster to a gigantic size, the creature easily   
spanning ten metres in height. With deft, powerful leaps, Yami-Bakura   
leapt on the head of his called monster, playing another wind-elemental   
monster in defense. Ebony dragon's wings sprouted from Yami-Bakura's   
back as he invoked the card's wind Magic, giving him the same   
advantage as his opponent.   
  
Yami Bakura grinned maliciously as he flew level with the other   
Yami. Electricity still sparkled at the tips of his fingers, jolting out   
occasionally in powerful crimson arcs as the white-haired Yami   
addressed his opponent. "Now, you can't run. If you think about landing,   
my Man-Eater Bug will destroy you. And in the air, you're a rather easy   
target for me."  
  
"I'd like to see you try and avoid this." Yami-Yuugi countered,   
calling from his hand a magic card. "Swords of Revealing Light!" The   
Game King infused his Magic to form a sudden flurry of energy-sustained   
swords, the Swords flying from the depths of the skies to surround Yami-  
Bakura, immobilizing the white-haired Yami. "You see, it stops all turns   
for three rounds, allowing me time to both think and, of course, to attack   
you."  
  
Yami-Bakura snarled as he sought for a strategy to protect his   
prone figure. "You're just wasting your time! If you attack me, the attack   
will only destroy your stupid swords!"  
  
"Maybe I don't want to just yet." Came the glib reply. Enjoying   
his time watching the struggling form of Yami-Bakura, Yami-Yuugi drew   
his next card, smirking as he did so. "You see, at first, I was too scared to   
attack you, in case I could indirectly damage my hidden Aibou. But now,   
I figured a way out."   
  
The Game King threw the card until the floated in mid air,   
invoking the card's power with his Magic. "I call upon the power of the   
magic card 'Monster Reborn', to give the power of rebirth to any monster   
discarded. But since this isn't any normal card game, and since any active   
being is allowed to attack like a monster, I choose to call upon Mutou   
Yuugi, who was discarded since the beginning of the game!"  
  
From the flat face of the card grew the translucent form of   
Yuugi, who glimmered for a few seconds like a sleeping ghost before   
solidifying and stumbling on top of the floating card's face. The small   
boy looked around, eyes widening as he saw below him the fathomless   
shadowy depths and a gigantic monster, hungrily snapping its jaws. He   
looked around and did a double take as he regarded the immobilized   
furious form of Yami-Bakura and the impassive and smiling face of his   
own Yami, both of them strangely surreal as they hovered in the sky.  
  
With a deft flex of his wings, Yami-Yuugi was beside his Aibou,   
cradling the smaller boy in his arms rather protectively.   
"You okay, Yuugi?" The Game King questioned, personally   
relieved that his twist of magic had worked.   
  
"I guess." Yuugi shrugged, accepting his Yami's sudden   
embrace with a note of surprise. "But where are we? And what's going   
on?" He felt like he was part of a sequel to an original he had never seen,   
completely disoriented and confused. The last thing he remembered was   
the sudden appearance of Yami-Bakura, although this by far did not   
explain what was currently going on.   
  
Yami-Yuugi eyed the Swords that were beginning to wobble and   
fade under the counter-spell of Yami-Bakura. "I'd love to explain, but   
right now, we have to finish this Game."  
  
Yuugi blinked. "Game? You mean, all this is just a game?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi paused for a moment to give his other a dry smile.   
"I wouldn't call this 'just a game', especially when the stakes are either   
life or death." He quickly drew another card from his hand, summoning   
the card to create a gigantic skeletal dragon, ferocious claws outstretched   
as it screeched a battle cry. "I call upon the Curse of Dragon in attack   
mode, discarding my Kuriboh to complete my turn."  
  
Suddenly, Yuugi was no longer standing on the blank face of a   
card but the smooth bony surface of a gigantic beast, the small boy   
clutching on to the softer membrane between the bones to avoid slipping   
and falling off. "Why are you discarding one of your cards?" The spiky-  
haired boy questioned, slightly surprised at this tactic.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked. "You see, Kuriboh has a special effect, for   
when I discard this card from my hand, I am allowed to protect any of my   
cards from the next attack. At least, I'll have one more turn with you   
safely protected before the real battle begins."  
  
"Oh right." Came the reply, although Yuugi had to think for a   
moment before it made any sense. A part of him regretted the fact that he   
was being a burden, that he was holding his Yami down my making his   
Yami always play moves to protect him. A sudden thought struck his   
mind. "So, I'm basically a card now?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi never had the chance to reply as Yami-Bakura   
broke the last Sword from the magic card, smiling triumphantly as he   
drew his card for the turn.   
  
"I my magic card called 'Just Dessert', which has a very   
_special_ effect." The white-haired Yami placed his card down, enlarging   
the card through an infusion of Magic as a gigantic ghostly hand shot   
from the face of the card, extending until the grabbed Yami-Yuugi in its   
gigantic fingers, squeezing the Game King like a sponge. "Just Dessert is   
able to suck out 500 life points for every monster on your field. But since   
we're not playing a regular card game with life points, you'll find this   
card's effect much more... interesting."   
  
"Yami!" Yuugi cried, watching as his Yami uttered choked   
gasps of agony, cut off with each contraction of the hand's fingers. Even   
more, the hand drained the Game King's Magic every moment it stayed   
in contact. Already, the strain of losing so much Magic was proving to be   
fatal as Yami-Yuugi ceased struggling, wings and glowing puzzle fading   
into darkness as his form hung limply within his captor's grasp.   
  
There had to be something he could do. The small boy's mind   
raced to the game's rules, trying to find a loophole that would free his   
Yami. If Yuugi was a card, then he could be attacked. Yet, how could   
Yami-Yuugi be attacked if the Game King was playing the game? Or did   
the player not matter, as long as the cards were set?  
  
Either way, what could he do? He was only a small boy,   
insignificant in this strange magical battle against powerful and ancient   
beings. He, Mutou Yuugi, was nothing, a nuisance like a fragile porcelain   
statue, easily shattered. Shameful tears welled down his cheeks as he   
helplessly watched his Yami dwindle, the fire of the ancient Game King's   
spirit escaping with each second. It was only a matter of time before   
Yami-Yuugi would fade away completely.   
  
Torn between scared and tormented, the boy tried to calm   
himself, nails digging into clenched fists to subdue his tears. He _had_ to   
be brave: to at least try. But... how?  
  
~The angel turned around, to see the huddling and sobbing form   
of Yuugi, crouched on the ground in a miserable shadow. Her soft blue   
eyes reflected compassion as she flew towards the small boy with two   
swift strokes of her wings, downy white feathers lightly scattering in the   
wind. Golden hair blew past her face, swirling like mist along her body as   
she landed, bare feet making no sound on the grass.   
  
Gently, the angel cupped Yuugi's cheek, stroking away the small   
boy's tears. "Why are you crying?" The question was simple and   
straightforward, softly demanding.   
  
"I- I'm worthless." Yuugi stated, voice hushed and slightly   
choked. "I can't do anything."  
  
"Who said that?" The angel gave Yuugi a quizzical look. "You   
can do anything you want -"  
  
Angrily, Yuugi pushed the embrace of his angel away. "Stop   
trying to make things better!" His lips quivered as he tried to retain his   
emotions. "There's nothing you can do."  
  
"You're right." The angel sighed, her garments rustling as she   
approached the small boy once again. "There's nothing I can do, but   
maybe something you can."  
  
Surprised, Yuugi looked up into her exquisite face, eyes showing   
both fear and confusion. "But what can I do? He's so much stronger than   
I am."  
  
"That's not true." The angel replied. "Even the smallest twig is   
able to keep a flood at bay."  
  
"But I'm so scared." Yuugi admitted, beginning to cry again,   
although the tears dripped soundlessly down his chin. "I'm afraid that I'll   
only make it worse."  
  
"Your Yami wouldn't be scared." The angel interjected, voice   
still reasoning.   
  
"My Yami isn't me!" Yuugi retorted. "He's stronger, and   
smarter, and he knows.... Magic."  
  
The angel laughed. "Is that all?" She smiled kindly, peaceful   
eyes radiating serenity. "Then I'll tell you a secret. You see, your Yami is   
only an alter-ego of yourself. Anything he does is a reflection of yourself,   
including using Magic."  
  
"But I don't know how to!" Yuugi protested, scared rather than   
reassured. "I can't do anything!"  
  
Shaking her head sadly, the angel knelt towards the smaller boy,   
large wings extended and outstretched over their heads. "If you do not   
believe, I cannot help you. Your struggle you must overcome by   
yourself." Gently, she kissed the smaller boy on the forehead, a symbol   
of the crescent moon glowing on Yuugi's brow before it faded away.   
  
Then, like the multitudes of feathers scattering against the   
invisible wind, the angel began to fade out of existence, still smiling   
serenely. "You have my blessings. The rest is up to you."~  
  
Yuugi opened his eyes to the darkness around him, his small   
form enshrouded by the eternal view of shadows, pierced only by only a   
few points of light. One of them was his Yami, quickly diminishing back   
to darkness, and the other the confident, cocky figure of Yami-Bakura,   
idly waiting for Yami-Yuugi's flame to be snuffed out completely.   
  
Yet, if those were the only points of light existing to shroud this   
strange Shadow Realm, what was Yuugi holding on to? The spiky-haired   
boy felt underneath his sweaty palms a firm and hard surface, and started   
in surprise as the "surface" shook violently, uttering a primal avian   
screech. Yuugi blinked. If his Yami was unconscious, why was this...   
card still alive?  
  
'Do _I_ know magic?' Yuugi thought to himself, still   
incredulous at the concept. 'I-I sure don't feel like I do.' Yet, life never   
provided clear signs of everything. Any action always involved a risk and   
a possible mistake.   
  
Mustering all his strength, Yuugi took a breath of air, steadying   
himself against the very-solid form of the Curse of Dragon. Whether or   
not it was _his_ summoned Dragon, he didn't know. But now - now, he   
was going to find out.   
  
From his pocket he extracted a single card, grimy from being   
half-forgotten, now remembered all too clearly. It had been his gift,   
representing his past memories and even more, his reason for a present   
determination.  
  
The boy looked at this lone disheveled card one more time,   
trying to fixate into his memory the simple picture, drawing from it   
recollections of hope and faith. Briefly, he glanced around, although his   
blank eyes took in nothing. The boy's fingers unclenched themselves,   
loosing their vicious hold on the yellow-ivory skin. Below him lay the   
chasm of infinity, and far away like a star, his Yami.   
  
That was all he needed to know.   
  
And clutching the single card close to his chest, Yuugi jumped.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
******************************************   
  
End notes:  
  
Well, I've been attacked by the infamous "writer's block", which   
Melinda was kind enough to inform me about. Hopefully, with - -NC - -   
driving behind me with a tethered whip and Myst-Lady always there to   
support me no matter what I write, (plus the stimulus of dodging mutated   
cabbages and whatnot), I think I might be able to pull through.   
  
Eevee muse: If your idea isn't stolen by then.   
  
Zoo: Hush, you pessimistic plushie  
  
Next time:  
  
- sacrifices are always necessary for a greater cause - or so Yuugi is   
forced to believe 


	8. The Price of a Tribute - Part 2

Author's notes:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. I own a laptop,   
driver's license, and a Curse of Dragon card... ^-^()   
  
Note: From now on, Bakura is referred to as "Ryou". It makes my life   
easier...  
  
***************************************  
  
"Let me be no nearer   
In death's dream kingdom..."  
  
- TS Elliot, "The Hollow Men"  
  
************************************  
  
Last time: "And clutching the single card close to his chest, Yuugi jumped."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 8: "The Price of a Tribute" - Part 2  
  
Falling.  
  
The wind rippled and danced across Yuugi's body, taunting the   
boy who dared to defy their lifeless domain. Ugly streaks of crimson and   
black carved into his vision, diluting everything into a grotesque blur,   
dancing and writhing with a sickening pulse. And all around him danced   
these shadows of darkness, threatening to consume and destroy him.   
  
He was scared. And his fear paralyzed him.   
  
Fear was an intoxicating substance, wrenching one's gut and   
rendering the mind incapable. It was an ugly one-eyed beast, gigantic   
frame blinding everything else in its path.   
  
Yet, fear only had one eye. And Yuugi had two.   
  
The boy clenched his card with a tightening fist, squeezing his   
eyes shut. He needed to concentrate, to block out this unnecessary fear.   
An image of his Yami flashed into his mind, the figure smiling and   
winking just slightly. Yami could do it. His Yami could call upon the   
Magic of the cards. But... how? Refusing to open his eyes and admit   
defeat to his fear, Yuugi concentrated harder, focusing on the mental   
image of his Yami. In his mind's eye, he saw his Yami turn around to   
glance at him. Crimson eyes met violet ones, each one sparkling with   
their own light. And then, the Yami dropped his gaze, eyes falling on the   
glowing Puzzle around his neck. With one graceful sweep of his hand,   
Yami-Yuugi held up the Puzzle, deliberately letting the light shine and   
reflect every facet of the Puzzle's golden face.   
  
And then, Yuugi knew.   
  
Small hands grabbed the Millennium Puzzle around his neck,   
unaware of the Puzzle flaring up suddenly with golden light, though he   
felt its power. It was a strange and ancient power, speaking of Magic yet   
to be discovered. And now, Yuugi drained the Puzzle of its power,   
unaware of the glowing Sennen Eye flashing on his forehead.   
  
Yuugi opened his eyes, calling out loudly and deliberately as he   
brandished his single card in one hand.   
"I call upon the Petit Angel!" He shouted, throwing the card into   
the void of darkness around him. Momentarily, the card seemed to dance   
away: only to curve upwards, swept by an unknown wind as it flared to   
life, forming not a beast but a several specks of golden light.   
  
Firmly holding on to his concentration, Yuugi beckoned the   
points of light, calling upon them with his Magic. Like fireflies, each   
glowing orb surrounded the boy, bathing him in a glimmering light before   
collecting to waver and solidify.   
  
And Yuugi arched his back as he felt soft feather's tickle his   
shoulder blades. Each feather grew and expanded, spiraling outwards   
until they formed a pair of beautiful swan-like wings, held together by a   
small boy cradled in the center. With a powerful sweep of his newly   
acquired wings, Yuugi shot upwards into the air, letting the momentum of   
flight gain him as much altitude as possible before flapping his wings   
again in a gigantic arc. The small boy looked around until his lavender   
eyes lay fixated on his Yami. Yuugi hovered slightly in mid-air before   
abruptly closing his wings tightly against his body, allowing him to drop   
like a stone. The boy fell and reeled in thin air, although this time, he was   
not scared. This time, Yuugi knew he was in control.   
  
Yuugi fell until he was right about his Yami, suddenly extending   
his wings so that they resisted the pull of gravity. Pearl-white feathers   
scattered everywhere as Yuugi twisted in mid-air, grabbing his Yami so   
that the taller figure now lay cradled within the boy's arms.   
  
Yuugi gritted his teeth as his wings strained against the added   
weight of his Yami. He had to land, and fast. Yet, he couldn't land - he   
knew there was still Yami-Bakura's Man-Eater Bug waiting for him   
below.   
  
What was he to do now? His Yami was slipping from his grasps,   
the larger body too heavy for a smaller body to support, no matter how   
strong the will.   
  
It was only when Yuugi heard a familiar avian cry that he   
remembered another possibility.   
  
"Curse of Dragon!" Yuugi heard himself call out, although his   
voice sounded firmer than he was used to. With amazing reaction speed   
and obedience, the large bony dragon shot towards Yuugi, allowing the   
boy to land carefully on the Dragon's back. The small boy placed his   
Yami along the smooth surface, holding his Yami closely to him.   
  
"Yami. Wake up." Yuugi called, beckoning his unconscious   
other. There was no reply. Sighing, Yuugi caressed his Yami's hair,   
nuzzling the unconscious form as if trying to find some comfort in the   
limp body. "Wake up now. We still have to fight."  
  
Upon realizing that there was no reply, Yuugi began to cry   
again, tears dribbling down his chin. The boy rubbed his cheek against his   
silent Darkness, bending close enough to whisper directly into his Yami's   
ear. "Please. I need you."   
  
The Puzzle around Yuugi's neck flared, once, twice. And in   
response, a mirror image of the Puzzle shimmered to life, glowing around   
Yami-Yuugi's neck. Hesitantly, Yuugi touched the new Puzzle, calling   
out to its power and activating the dormancy within. In response, the   
Puzzle flickered, filling Yami-Yuugi's limp body with a steady light. And   
surely enough, Yami-Yuugi opened his eyes, fluttering them rather   
rapidly to adjust to the current situation. The Darkness groaned, putting a   
hand to his forehead to steady himself. That was all he was allowed to do   
before Yuugi jumped on him, the small boy elatedly wrapping his Yami   
with his arms in a tight hug.   
  
"Yami!" Yuugi shouted, wiping his last tears away. "You're   
alive!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi winced as Yuugi squeezed his injured ribs. "Yes."   
The Yami managed to wheeze. "I'm very alive. Now, if you would please   
let me go?"  
  
Yuugi blushed, slightly abashed. "Oh. Sorry."  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes suddenly widened, staring at something   
directly behind the small boy. With split second reflexes, the Yami   
grabbed his other, tackling the small boy so that the rolled to one side of   
the dragon. Yuugi let out a startled gasp as suddenly, the space beside his   
head held a glimmering black sword, curving upwards to reveal the   
white-haired owner.   
  
Yami-Bakura sneered as he withdrew the sword embedded in the   
Curse of Dragon, wings outstretched as the Dragon cried and exploded   
into infinity. "I got bored of waiting." The Yami shrugged, sneering as he   
watched Yami-Yuugi summon another flying card to remain afloat.   
  
"Stay behind me, Yuugi." Yami-Yuugi warned the smaller boy,   
eyes never leaving Yami-Bakura. The Yami closed his eyes, tracing an   
invisible arc with one hand. The arc of nothingness flickered into life,   
solidifying so that it formed a golden blade. Yami-Yuugi brandished his   
newly summoned sword, glaring at Yami-Bakura.   
  
Both Yami stared at each other for a moment before initiating a   
move. There was a ringing sound, golden blade clashing against pitch   
black as both Yami swept themselves in a fervent dance for dominance.   
Wings fluttered and maneuvered majestically in thin air as they sought to   
keep themselves one step away from the other, each delivering blows but   
sustaining only minor damage.   
  
Yami-Yuugi swung his sword to one side, feinting a thrust to   
Yami-Bakura's left, which the white-haired Yami hastily blocked. The   
once-Pharaoh then quickly twisted his sword in a sweeping curve so that   
it overshot his opponent's parry and sliced a good portion of Yami-  
Bakura's flesh.   
  
Yami-Bakura cursed as his side openly bled, his wound driving   
him into desperation. Each move was delivered without a moment's   
thought, perfectly precise and stunningly powerful.   
  
Yami-Yuugi winced as he parried yet another blow, knowing   
that Yami-Bakura would not fall for another feint. The Darkness's mind   
searched for a strategy, eyes focused on the current blocking while his   
mind raced over implications. Quickly, Yami-Yuugi raised his arm to   
deflect another blow aimed at his head when suddenly, an ebony flash   
caught his eye, and he twisted to one side just in time to avoid being   
impaled by another blade.   
  
Yami-Bakura grinned as he withdrew his attack thrusts, holding   
in both hands a pair of twin blades, each one the same burnished black.   
And he grinned to himself as he watched Yami-Yuugi gasp in shock at   
the appearance of two swords. Arm muscles coiled like a snake, Yami-  
Bakura struck, rapiers pointed right at Yami-Yuugi's neck.   
"Game Over." The white-haired yami grinned, pressing one of   
his black blades against his opponent's neck rather tauntingly.   
  
"Yami!" Yuugi screamed as he watched Yami-Bakura raise the   
other sword, point straight towards Yami-Yuugi's chest. There was a   
moment of silence before the point of the dagger plunged downwards.   
  
Yami-Yuugi stared in shock, breathing rapidly at the dagger held   
inches away from impaling his body. The other blade still rang along his   
neck; yet the former had ceased moving. Wide-eyed, Yami-Yuugi   
glanced at Yami-Bakura, suddenly aware that the white-haired Yami was   
not moving. Quickly, the once-Pharoah swept his wings forwards, the   
momentum pushing him away from the threatening blades.   
  
"Yami!" Yuugi shouted again, although this time, it was one of   
elation. The boy dove downwards, white feathers scattering everywhere   
as he ferociously hugged his other. "That was close!"  
  
"Yeah." Yami-Yuugi replied, still dazed. The Yami stared at   
Yami-Bakura, eyeing the paralyzed figure. What had happened?  
  
Yami-Bakura's shoulder's sagged, his head flopping to one side   
like a limp rag doll. Both daggers fell lifelessly from his hands,   
disappearing into wisps of smoky darkness.   
  
However, Yami-Yuugi was unconvinced. "Stay here." The   
Darkness told his Aibou, crimson eyes never leaving Yami-Bakura's limp   
form. "I smell a rat."  
  
Surely enough, as Yami-Yuugi approached target distance of his   
opponent, the white-haired Yami began to stir, shaking his head slightly   
before his eyes fluttered open. However, Yami-Yuugi was not stupid.   
Allowing no time for Yami-Bakura to recover, Yami-Yuugi attacked,   
both hands holding the hilt of the blade, slicing downwards to cut off the   
white-haired Yami's head. There, the blade stopped just moments before   
impact, hovering threateningly in the air.   
  
"Give me a good reason not to kill you." Yami-Yuugi sneered at   
the white-haired Yami, sword tensed just in case his opponent tried to   
counter.   
  
Yami-Bakura did not answer, but simply cast his gaze   
downwards, avoiding eye contact.   
  
"Answer me, you bastard!" Yami-Yuugi cried, voice betraying   
his hidden tension. "Answer me, or I'll kill you right now!"  
  
The white-haired Yami opened his mouth, voice so quiet that   
Yami-Yuugi had to strain to hear.   
  
"Because..." Silvery-white hair covered his downcast eyes,   
making him look rather pitiful than menacing. "Because... I'm not Yami-  
Bakura."  
  
"What?" Taken aback, Yami-Yuugi almost lost his hold in the   
sword. He quickly regained his composure. "What the hell do you mean   
by that?"  
  
But Yuugi knew. Yuugi knew the moment he saw Yami-Bakura   
reawaken. The small boy saw the large doleful brown eyes, and they   
tweaked his consciousness.   
"Ryou?" Yuugi heard himself call out. "Is that you, Ryou   
Bakura?"  
  
The white-haired boy jerked his head at the sudden mention of   
his name, wincing a bit as this sudden motion caused the blade by his   
neck to nick his skin and draw blood. Brown eyes once dull stared in   
recognition at the boy who had called his real name.   
"Yuugi." Ryou Bakura cried, the voice coming out almost in a   
muffled sob. "Yuugi. I'm sorry."  
  
Upon realizing that the tone was genuine, Yami-Yuugi withdrew   
his sword. "What happened to your Yami?" Yami-Yuugi demanded, still   
grimly aware that the entire dialogue could be a ploy.   
  
Here, Ryou managed a thin smile. From his limp hand   
materialized a single card, its golden sheen indicating that it was currently   
in use. The white-haired boy held the face of the card towards them, so   
that both Yuugi and his Yami could clearly see its surface.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened. "The... Change of Heart?" He   
stated, question more of a confirmation.   
  
Ryou nodded. "Yes. This card has always had a close attachment   
towards me. It was the only way I could stop him." The white-haired boy   
shuddered as he mentioned his Yami. "Yet, this card only lasts one turn,   
so after this, I-I'll disappear again."  
  
"What do you mean by disappear?" Yuugi asked.   
  
"My Yami is not as nice as your's." Here, Ryou gave a half-  
smile. "When he takes control, he does not give me any liberty. I become   
confined to him, sitting in the deepest corner of his mind, waiting until he   
is finished with whatever task at hand."  
  
"Confined like a slave." Yami-Yuugi repeated, spitting out the   
words in disgust. "Sounds exactly like the Yami-Bakura I knew."  
  
"You knew him?" Yuugi stated, startled. Ryou too, looked   
shocked.   
  
"That is a story for another time. "Yami-Yuugi stated. "What   
matters right now is that we destroy Yami-Bakura, before the turn runs   
out and the magic card effect becomes void."  
  
"Then kill me."  
  
Ryou's statement was so sudden that the meaning escaped   
Yami-Yuugi at first.  
  
"There's no way we can kill you!" Yuugi cried in place for his   
stunned Yami. "Y-you're my friend, and I care for you like all my other   
friends."  
  
The white-haired boy stared at Yuugi in shock. "Am I really   
your friend?" He repeated, half-afraid that it was all a lie. "How can I be   
your friend if I only hurt you?"  
  
Yuugi shook his head. "It's not true! I know it wasn't you. You   
can't blame yourself for the things your Yami has done."  
  
And yet, Ryou seemed unconvinced, although his pleading eyes   
begged to accept Yuugi's friendship. "It's not that simple." He finally   
replied, hazel eyes brimming with tears.   
  
"What do you mean?" Yuugi was confused. He knew for sure   
that his Yami and him were separate beings, each one with a different   
idea.   
  
"What I mean is that-" Ryou was suddenly cut off as the   
glowing card in his hand began fading. The white-haired boy winced   
slightly, feeling the darkness once sedated inside of him begin to stir.   
"There's no time for this!" He shouted, turning towards Yami-Yuugi.   
"Please, you have to kill me. It's the only way!"  
  
"I've got a better plan." Yami-Yuugi suddenly shouted. He   
withdrew a card from his hand, smiling just slightly. "I play the Eye of   
Truth, which reveals to me the cards in the opponent's hands!"  
  
Ryou gasped as he suddenly felt his soul being pulled away from   
the body. A dizzying sensation followed as the world around him seemed   
to spin into oblivion. When the white-haired boy dared to open his eyes   
again, he was hovering in mid-air, staring at Yuugi, Yami-Yuugi and...   
his own Yami?  
  
Yami-Yuugi gave his trademark smirk. "I figured that since   
we're only "cards" in this game, I could use my Eye of Truth to reveal   
both cards of my opponent - you and your Yami!"  
  
"All right!" Yuugi cheered, flying towards Ryou to embrace him   
in a tight hug. "I'm glad your safe, Ryou!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi, however, kept his eyes on the stirring figure of   
Yami-Bakura. Not even bothering to focus to his surroundings, Yami-  
Bakura opened his eyes, twin blades again flying into both hands as he   
leapt at his opponent.   
  
"Bastard!" Yami-Bakura shouted, blades attacking with renewed   
effort. "You'll never destroy me!"  
  
Ryou watched as both Yami's below them danced in a series of   
ferocious parries and thrusts, none gaining the upper advantage. Both   
Yami's now broke away from a tight hold, each one glaring at the other   
while drawing in deep gasps of breath to sustain themselves.   
  
"Everything will be all right." Yuugi smiled, seeing the   
frightened look on the white-haired boy. "I trust my Yami with all my   
heart."  
  
"I wish I could too." Ryou whispered sadly. "I wish I could have   
a Yami like your's, who would care for me." He sighed, tears plummeting   
down his face. "I guess I was destined to be alone; always unloved."  
  
"It's not true!" Yuugi cried. "You're not alone! Surely, you're   
family loves you!"  
  
"My family's dead." Ryou's tone turned bitter, unlike his usual   
voice, reminding Yuugi slightly of Yami-Bakura. "My Yami killed them   
all."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened. "I-I'm..." He was devastated, unsure of   
what to say to comfort the white-haired boy. "I'm really sorry."  
  
Ryou wiped the last of his tear from his eyes, managing a brave   
smile. "Yuugi. It's not your fault." Momentarily, his gaze traveled down   
towards the two Yami who were now engaged in a ferocious display of   
Magic combined with sword skill. "You see, this is a chosen world. And   
those who are born into misery must accept the path destined for them."  
  
"You're wrong!" Yuugi protested, feeling an immense pity for   
the white-haired boy beside him. "There's more than just destiny or fate.   
Even in the darkest hours, there is always possibility and hope. You   
proved that to me when I thought Yami-Bakura was going to destroy all   
of us, and you showed up just in time to invoke the Change of Heart."  
  
"Yuugi..." Ryou was speechless by the small boy's words. At   
last, he gave a final, genuine smile, soft and forever radiant. "Thank you."   
  
Later Yuugi, would realize just exactly why Ryou had done what   
he did. But now, his eyes widened in stupor as the white-haired boy bent   
down, kissing the small boy on the lips. Yuugi wanted to pull away, to   
scream; but realized that there was nothing in the touch but innocence.   
And the small boy kissed back, lips touching firmly another soft surface,   
although it was no more than a simply interaction; nothing romantic,   
nothing lustful.   
  
Finally, Ryou pulled away, face flushed a deep crimson as he   
gazed straight into Yuugi's violet eyes. "I love you." He murmured, voice   
slightly awkward.   
  
And before Yuugi could reply in any manner of astonishment,   
Ryou snapped his wings shut, suddenly falling in a mad spiral   
downwards.   
  
"RYOU!"   
  
And everything else happened too fast to comprehend, flashing   
only like a sequence of images. Perfectly timed images. Only afterwards   
would Yuugi realize that only Fate could have done this.   
  
Yami-Yuugi invoked a flash of Light Magic, blinding Yami-  
Bakura temporarily to allow enough time for an opening. The once-  
Pharoah raised his sword in the air, tip traveling strait towards Yami-  
Bakura's chest. And suddenly, the gleaming golden sword protruded not   
out of Yami-Bakura's chest, but Ryou, who had positioned himself right   
in front of his Yami. The white-haired boy's face was not one of sudden   
shock but grim acceptance, smiling serenely before closing his eyes, one   
hand on the hilt of the golden blade that rested in his chest. Blood began   
to sleep and pool around the wound, although the attack seemed to take a   
rather painless air. Maybe it was because Ryou was already dead.   
  
Yami-Bakura screamed as his Millennium Ring began to glow   
too brightly, burning suddenly in reaction to Ryou's death. He continued   
to scream until he dissipated, darkness once again claiming his vengeful   
soul.   
  
And then, everything began screaming, the shadows around   
them whirling and arousing in a malevolent storm. The very space around   
them began to rock and buckle, threatening to collapse into a pool of   
chaos. With a final sigh, the darkness shattered, disappearing until it once   
again revealed the face of reality.   
  
Yuugi winced as he fell onto the hard pavement of the ground.   
Startled, the boy looked around, seeing the familiar sight of a beautiful   
and quiet neighbourhood, complete with shining sun and sparkling green   
grass. In front of him was the smoking ruins of a burnt house, now   
completely lifeless and dull, flames having died scarce moments ago.   
  
The boy jumped, startled as he felt a hand on his shoulders.   
Yuugi looked up to see the grim expression of his Yami, eyes cast in pity   
for the small boy. Yuugi needed only that slight comfort before falling   
into his Yami's arms, eyes overflowing with tears. He gazed at the silent   
scene around him, ears roaring, although himself mute.   
  
There the pair of them stood, both of them finding they could   
say nothing, but simply stare in remembrance.   
  
"Why?" Yuugi finally asked. "Why did he do it?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi shifted uncomfortably, not sure of the answer   
himself. "When I-I killed Ryou, he looked at me one last time, and said   
'It's not your fault'."  
  
"But why?" Yuugi repeated. "Why would he say that?"  
  
"Yuugi." Yami-Yuugi suddenly asked. "Do you think it was my   
fault?"  
  
Yuugi wanted to scream, to say that of course it was his Yami's   
fault simply because he needed someone to blame for these incidents. He   
wanted to point and label someone for all these mishaps so that they   
could be solved and cleared. Yet, he realized that there was no simple   
solution to the sequence of events. Everything had just happened so   
suddenly.   
"No." Yuugi replied. "Of course it's not your fault." And he   
meant every world of it.   
  
Yuugi and his Yami spent the entire night erecting tombstones   
for their lost ones, the smaller boy occasionally stopping to shed some   
tears.   
  
"Good-bye Mother, Grandpa." Yuugi whispered, placing lilac   
flowers in the small mound that signified his family. He then turned to the   
other two mounds. Despite everything, Yuugi had insisted on a mound for   
Yami-Bakura, which seemed to mystify Yami-Yuugi more than   
everything else.   
  
Here, Yuugi stopped, placing crimson flowers on Yami-  
Bakura's mound. "Good-bye, Yami-Bakura. May your afterlife teach you   
about the price of vengeance."  
  
And at long length, he stopped at Ryou Bakura's own mound.   
Having gone through the tension of passing so many graves, Yuugi now   
looked at his Yami for support. Yami-Yuugi squeezed his Aibou tight,   
smiling encouragingly.   
  
"And good-bye to you too, Ryou." Yuugi finally whispered,   
placing pure white flowers by the mound. "I hope that you're happy up   
there." Tears dripped onto the wet soil. "I guess I never had the time to   
say that I love you too." Yuugi finally blurted. The small boy covered his   
mouth in shock, eyes wide.   
  
Yami-Yuugi simply chuckled. "You're a good boy, Yuugi."  
  
Yuugi nodded, slowly. "I realized the moment that Ryou kissed   
me that there was more to love than just lust or a desire to be forever   
intimate. For Ryou, love was a simple friendship offered to him, because   
he had never felt otherwise. And I respect his type of love."  
  
"I see." Came the Yami's reply. He sighed. "I still can't help but   
feel a little jealous, you know. It kind of bothers me to know that while I   
was fighting for your life, you were making out with someone else."  
  
Yuugi blushed a deep crimson. "I _wasn't_ making out! I was   
kissing!"  
  
"Oho!" Yami-Yuugi stated. "You were _kissing_ now were   
you? Okay, allow me to correct myself: 'I still can't help but feel a little   
jealous when I was fighting for your life and you were _kissing_   
someone'."  
  
It was a good thing that Yami-Yuugi wasn't solidified at that   
moment as a flying brick passed straight through his head.   
  
***************************************  
  
Unknown to Yuugi and his Yami, two pairs of eyes were   
watching them from their perch on the roof.   
  
"What do you think?" The first cloaked figure turned to her   
partner. "Has he passed the test?"  
  
"That is not for me to judge." The second figure whispered.   
"Although fate will decide either way."  
  
There was a slight pause. "Those wings that Yuugi invoked.   
They looked just like the wings of-"  
  
"- I know." The second cut off. "That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
"You don't think she could still be alive?"   
  
"I'm not sure. But I have a feeling that she is far from dead."  
  
************************************************  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jounochi says:  
  
Jounochi: This chapter sucked! Seven pages and not even a mention of   
myself! Does anyone even care what happened to me? Nooooo....  
  
Honda: What do you expect? When you're not the author's favourite   
character, you don't get in the fanfic a lot - unless you happen to be the   
opponent.   
  
Jounochi: Then what on earth was Ryou doing in the chapter? He's not   
evil!  
  
Honda: Baka! You can't exactly have his Yami in there without having   
him in there too, you know.   
  
Jounochi: *grumbles* That _still_ doesn't explain that little romance   
scene. I thought I was one of the few privileged characters who get to kiss   
Yuugi!  
  
Honda: ...   
  
Jounochi: *still grumbling* Anyway, Zoo sent me a moral to say for this   
chapter. *reads the very crumpled up script.* The moral is..... "Don't eat   
fried beans"??! What the hell??!!  
  
Yuugi: *walks in clutching stomach* Ooh.. I'm gonna be sick.... *rushes   
towards washroom*  
  
Jounochi: ....   
  
Honda: ....  
  
Yami: -_-;;; I guess Aibou didn't like the beans I fried.   
  
******************************************  
  
End notes:  
  
It took me FOREVER to try and not make this chapter into some corny,   
cliched romance thing. I guess I failed halfway ^^().   
  
Whoah! I can't believe I reached 50 reviews! Thank you everyone for   
reviewing, and if I say this now, I say it all the time - any opinions you   
offer I take seriously, whether positive or negative ^^.   
  
By the way, one of Ryou's lines was taken from a Sailor Moon manga,   
volume 11. Extra points to anyone who can pinpoint who said it.   
  
Next time:  
  
- the truth is out there! Or so you wish...  
- Yuugi finally decides to join Club 0013, if he can find it ^_^ 


	9. Types and Attributes

Author's notes:  
  
Usual disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. But I do   
own a birthday on Monday! Yeah! I'll be officially legal to…   
uhmmm… ^^() I'll get back to you on that one…   
  
By the way, Cruzer managed to answer my little riddle, so   
congratulations! I still can't believe you read my chapter twice. o_o   
Trust me though, your opinions do make a difference.  
  
o.O *reads _all_ of FlameRaven's reviews* -_-;;; I guess I made a   
LOT of errors… *sniffles*   
BTW, you're not related to Pegasus are you? *grumbles something   
about FlameRaven being able to read minds*   
  
WARNING: Excessive dialogue in this chapter. Zoo is not   
responsible for people running away in frustration due to lack of   
action/a plausible plot.  
  
*****************************************  
  
"The mind is its own place, and in itself  
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven."  
- Milton, "Paradise Lost"   
  
*******************************************  
  
Chapter: 9 – Types and Attributes  
  
Maximillion Pegasus huffed as he leaned backwards on his   
swivel chair, rather peeved at the recent change of events. He angrily   
clenched his right fist, unknowingly also crumpling a single Duel   
Monsters card in his hand. And then realizing what he had done, the   
silver-haired man opened his hand, staring blankly at the crumpled   
card. He continued staring until his single golden eye began to glow,   
and then, he broke down into laughter.   
  
Complete, unadulterated laughter.   
  
****************************************  
  
Yami-Yuugi withdrew his fangs from his bleeding victim,   
wiping away the blood dribbling down his mouth.   
Momentarily, he watched in amusement as the scarlet spread along   
his pale hand, slowly covering every niche on his smooth skin. The   
Yami rang his rough tongue along the blood smear, enjoying its thick   
and slightly pasty texture.   
  
/Are you done now?/ Yuugi's voice rang in Yami-Yuugi's   
mind no louder than an echo. The small boy sounded rather reverent   
and quiet, as opposed to his usual disgust when his Yami went   
"hunting". Maybe it was because of the sudden change of events, or   
maybe Yuugi had given up complaining. Frankly, Yami-Yuugi didn't   
know whether or not to be grateful for his Aibou's sudden   
submission.   
  
//Fine. Just let me clean up.// Came Yami-Yuugi's reply,   
curt and to the point, lest he leak out unwanted gory details that he   
knew his Aibou would only cringe at.   
  
With a twist of healing and memory Magic, Yami-Yuugi   
left everything just as it had seen, leaping into the skies to avoid any   
straying eyes. The Darkness leapt gracefully over the sleepy   
rooftops, careful not to disturb those who slept underneath.   
  
//What's the matter Yuugi?// Yami-Yuugi finally ventured   
to ask. //You've been awfully quiet today.//  
  
/I don't know./ Yuugi confessed. /I just have a feeling that   
it's all coming to an end./  
  
Yami-Yuugi gave a mental sigh. //If you're still depressed   
over Bakura, there's nothing much either of us can do about that.//  
  
/It's not that!/ Yuugi protested. /I-I just feel like everything   
has become insignificant. Worthless. I mean, why am I living here?   
What am I trying to prove? And what's more; _who_ am I trying to   
prove to?/  
  
//Yourself.// Came the glib reply. Upon noticing his Aibou's   
blatant expression, he elaborated. //What you do, no one really cares,   
unless it affects them for the positive. Truth be told, I think people   
are happier under this Authority than they would be without one. But   
for someone like you, who has gone past this ignorance, there is no   
turning back. What you need to figure out now is whether or not   
your difference really matters. Is your new belief really worth   
fighting for?//  
  
Yuugi sighed. /No straight answers, I guess?/  
  
//Absolutely none.// Came the sudden reply. //I'm only   
here as your guide; I cannot see or predict the future.// Yami-Yuugi   
hesitated for a moment. //Even if I could, I don't think I would want   
to.//  
  
Yuugi mentally wrinkled his brow. /Why not? Wouldn't   
you want to know the future so you could prevent all the bad things   
that are going to happen?/  
  
//If I knew every bad thing about to happen, then I   
would not cherish the good. Life is not simply for my benefit – it is   
an experience.// Yami-Yuugi paused, noticing that his Aibou was not   
catching on. //Forget it. I'm just lecturing.//  
  
/N-no!/ Yuugi reassured. /I think I understand. I guess what   
it really means is that there is no set "good" or "bad" in life. "Good"   
could be seen as a paradise, continually shifting from one belief to   
another, as there will always be dissatisfaction no matter how perfect   
the paradise. In a way, we're really the 'bad guys' here, trying to   
resist this paradise and seek a different belief./  
  
//Good guys, bad guys.// Yami-Yuugi shrugged. //It's really   
all a perspective thing. How you value what is 'good' and 'bad'.//   
  
The Yami would have commented more had a flash of   
fluttering fabric not caught his eye. Pretending to ignore it, the   
Darkness continued plodding on his trek back to the Old City,   
although he mentally fell silent. Yami-Yuugi experimentally jumped   
over a few more rooftops before concluding with a grim satisfaction   
that the fluttering flashes of fabric were moving at a steady pace   
behind him.   
  
//Yuugi, we're being followed.// The Yami suddenly warned   
his Aibou, mental voice stern to emphasize the situation.   
  
/By whom?/ Yuugi questioned, fear building up in his   
innocent mind. /Is it the Authority?/  
  
Yami-Yuugi snorted. //I don't think it's that grave yet.// He   
assured Yuugi //But whoever they are, I don't like it.//   
Without warning, the Yami suddenly increased his pace, jacket   
viciously billowing like a banner behind him. The wind trickled   
through his ears, roaring dully as he continued to stride and leap at   
tremendous heights, every motion blurring together and creating the   
illusion of flying.   
  
Now, the Darkness could see that there were two of them,   
one clearly giving chase while the other lingered behind, possibly   
waiting for reinforcements. Yami-Yuugi narrowed his eyes, Sennen   
Eye burning on his forehead as he invoked a Magic spell. Seconds   
later, the air around the Yami began to shimmer, appearing to form   
an aqueous bubble-like shield around him.   
  
/Are they still following us?/ Yuugi, not quite sure of what   
was happening outside, could only voice his worry in a plaintive   
question.   
  
//Not anymore// Yami-Yuugi reassured, smirking slightly as   
the effects of his Illusion Spell allowed him to hide invisible from the   
eyes of his chaser. True enough, the cloaked persuer faltered, pausing   
to peer at the rooftops before shrugging a sigh of defeat and traveling   
the other direction.   
  
  
It was another half-an-hour before the Yami declared their   
arrival at the outskirts of the Old City. Yuugi's physical body tingled   
as he was again returned to reality, his re-appearance canceling any   
previous effects of his Yami's magic. A curious thought suddenly   
entered his mind, and Yuugi put a hand on the warm Puzzle for   
support, focusing hard on the lingering remains of the Illusion Spell.   
The Puzzle flickered a warm gold in response, and the Illusion Spell   
immediately locked back into reality, replicating the same effects that   
Yami-Yuugi had just invoked moments ago.   
  
//What are you doing?// Yami-Yuugi's mental tone bordered   
both curiousity and surprise as he watched Yuugi prod the bubble-  
like shield.  
  
Yuugi's mental tone reflected one of excitement and awe.   
/That's amazing!/ The boy continued to examine the Spell, as if   
half-afraid that it would disappear upon a moment's notice. /Yami! I   
can actually use Magic!/  
  
Yami-Yuugi gave his aibou a blatant mental look. //Didn't   
you prove that to me in the Shadow Realm?//   
  
/But this is different!/ Yuugi protested, /The Shadow Realm   
was like an in-between place full of ancient Magic, but this is   
_reality_./  
  
//Trust me, Yuugi// Yami-Yuugi responded with a dry tone,   
//Whether real or magical, it doesn't really matter. Once you have   
established that link with Magic, you can use it anywhere, provided   
that you now the Spells.//  
  
/So, you need spells to make Magic work?/ Yuugi mused   
over that idea.   
  
Yami-Yuugi mentally shrugged. //Any effective Magic   
anyway. I can teach you some basics if you want.//  
  
/R-really?/ Yuugi felt like it sounded too good to be true.   
  
//Why not?// Was the Yami's reply, //Although I warn you   
– some of the Spells are not for the weak at heart.//  
  
Yuugi shuddered, remembering his Yami's Blood-Binding   
Spell. /Yeah, I think the basics are fine. Enough for me to handle   
myself in case you can't protect me./  
  
There was a sudden silence as Yami-Yuugi's mental tone   
shifted to one of embarrassment. //Aibou, I'm sorry I wasn't there   
to help you during that part in the Shadow Realm.// The Yami   
finally apologized, tone extremely abashed.   
  
Yuugi comforted his Yami with a mental pulse of   
reassurance . /It's okay. It's not your fault! Besides, if it weren't for   
that, I would have never discovered my use of Magic. And what   
would happen later when I _really_ am in trouble?/  
  
//I didn't try hard enough// Yami-Yuugi persisted, //Next   
time, Yuugi, I promise you that I won't fail. Never again.//  
  
Now, it was Yuugi's turn to sit in uncomfortable silence. /I   
wouldn't want that from you, Yami./ Came the morbid reply.   
/Because some promises are beyond anyone's control./  
  
**************************************  
  
Kaiba sighed in exasperation as a loud knock on his door   
interrupted his work.   
"What is it now?" The brown-haired boy snarled at the door,   
trying to keep his eyes fixated on the screen, as he was currently in   
the middle of deciphering a complex security password.  
  
The door clicked open to reveal a blonde-haired boy, who   
appeared to be the same age and height as Kaiba himself.   
  
"Jeez." This new boy, Jounochi, muttered. "I just wanted   
some information. Meiou-san told me that you could help."  
  
Kaiba 'humphed' angrily, closing the current window filed   
on his computer screen and turning towards Jounochi. "Look." He   
snapped. "Unless you have really urgent business, I suggest you   
leave me alone for the next couple of hours."  
  
"It IS urgent!" Jounochi shouted back, rage building up in   
his eyes. The others had warned him of about Kaiba, and now, it was   
painstakingly obvious why. "I'm politely ignoring your attitude   
problem so can you just politely do this one favour for me?"  
  
Kaiba laughed, voice coming out in a low chuckle. "You   
really are useless, aren't you? You just happened to come here   
because you were rescued. Well, you're doing a good job proving to   
be the dead weight you are."  
  
Jounochi bristled angrily under that comment. "If I could, I   
would help too, okay?" He angrily clenched his fist, just barely   
restraining himself from attacking the brown-haired boy.  
  
However, Kaiba dismissed the entire discussion with a wave   
of his hand. "I don't have the time for this. Go and take up your little   
doggy fights with the others." And with that, he turned around,   
promptly getting back to work and ignoring Jounochi as if he had   
never existed.   
  
"Fine! Be that way!" Jounochi barked back, angrily turning   
around to soothe his growing temper. "Just in case you haven't noticed, the   
others haven't been back for a week already, and there are only two   
of them on shift right now."  
  
That seemed to spark Kaiba's attention for a moment.   
"Where are the others?" The brown-haired boy asked, voice gruffly   
curious.   
  
"I dunno." Jounochi grumbled, reluctant to talk further with   
such a hostile character. "They mentioned something about the Game   
King coming an'-"  
  
"What?" Kaiba's eyes widened, the tall techno-magic   
genius suddenly standing up to reveal his impressive six-foot frame.   
"Did you just say Game King?"  
  
Jounochi shrugged. "Yeah. Why?"  
  
Kaiba narrowed his eyes. Quickly, he turned around,   
moving like liquid silver to the door and darting out without a   
moment's hesitation.   
  
"Oy!" Jounochi cried out, following the brown-haired boy   
out the door. "Where are you going?"  
  
******************************************  
  
  
Yami-Yuugi watched as his Aibou stared in awe at his   
Flame Spell. Feeling slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny, the   
Yami quickly banished the summoned flames with a quick wave of   
its hands.   
  
"Amazing." Yuugi conjectured, still blankly staring at the   
spot which once held a brilliant flame. "You summoned the flame   
out of thin air like it was nothing!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi managed a thin smile. "It all depends on how   
much Magic you use. I used the easiest Fire Spell as an example."  
  
"You mentioned a lot of spell names." Yuugi cocked his   
head towards his Yami. "Exactly how many spells are there?"  
  
"Well, there are more created than actually used." Yami-  
Yuugi admitted.  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened. "Then, why create so many?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi chuckled. He put the weight of his hand on   
Yuugi's shoulder, comforting the surprised boy. "You'll learn that   
Magic isn't as simple as it seems. Magic falls into one of six   
elements – Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Dark or Light. And seperate Spells  
are categorized within each of these elements."  
  
"The six elements that you mentioned," Yuugi repeated,   
"They're the same the 'attributes' on my Duel Monsters cards! In   
fact, you used them in the Shadow Realm."  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes misted over, obviously in recollection of   
past thoughts. "Back in my times, Games in the Shadow Realm were   
played by Spellcasters. Spellcasters would be anyone who had   
mastered a certain element of Magic, or sometimes even two or   
three."  
  
"Wow." Yuugi murmured. "Then, you must have needed to learn a   
lot of spells to battle."  
  
"Not really." Yami-Yuugi replied. "Most   
Spellcasters summoned _monsters_ of their element to attack for   
them. This was advantageous because it guaranteed some safety, and   
also, the monsters could make sacrifices that an actual Spellcaster   
could not afford to make."  
  
Yuugi looked down at his cards, flipping through his deck   
and analyzing each picture. The cards seemed normal enough, each   
with an attack, defense, and level. A glint of violet caught the boy's   
eye on one of the card's faces.  
"Dark Magician. Spellcaster type." Yuugi looked up at his   
Yami, eyes wide in surprise. "Does that mean that-"  
  
"Actually," Came the Yami's correction, "Spellcasters would   
create special monsters adapted to their personal preference. These   
monsters were also given the title "Spellcaster", since they most   
effectively represented the masters who had summoned them."  
  
"Then, whoever created these cards must have known about   
the Shadow Realm." Yuugi concluded.   
  
Yami-Yuugi said nothing, although it was evident that he   
was brooding over the thought. "What I want to know is _who_ this   
person is." He glanced down at the lifeless cards in Yuugi's hand.   
"For someone to guess the names and attributes of each monster so   
accurately requires someone who is in the same situation as me – a   
soul brought to the future by a Millennium Item."  
  
"Another Millenium Item." Yuugi mused, wondering how   
many there were in all. "From the looks of it, this person also knew   
Magic." Yuugi deducted, showing his other the Magic and Trap   
cards also in his deck.  
  
Yami-Yuugi nodded. "For sure. Although in the Shadow   
Realm, rules can be twisted and shaped according to the will of   
the two challengers. If a challenger's Magic and will is strong   
enough, he will sometimes override the effect of a Magic Spell, like   
overriding an effect of a Magic or Trap card."   
  
Yuugi listened closely to his Darkness's words. "So, Yami, what type   
of Spellcaster are you?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi snorted, barking out a derisive laugh before   
suppressing it. "Sorry. I forgot to tell you that not _just_ Spellcasters   
played in the Shadow Realm. Those who could master more than one   
element took on more prodigious titles, often playing a long career in   
the Shadow Realm." Yami-Yuugi shrugged. "Well, when you played   
the Shadow Games, the price was often your life, so you would have   
to be good to survive for any period of time."  
  
Yuugi grimaced, imagining the petrified faces of certain   
combatants who permanently lost their soul to the Games. "It must   
have been horrible."  
  
"Worse." Came the glib reply. Than upon seeing Yuugi's   
agitated face, Yami-Yuugi hastily rerouted his words. "However, the   
Shadow Games were eventually sealed, almost forever lost in time."  
  
Yuugi noticed the 'almost' in the sentence. "How come the   
Shadow Realm could not be sealed forever?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi sighed. "The person who sealed the Shadow   
Realm sacrificed his life to do so. Yet, the Shadow Realm is not   
some mystical place but an actual existence. It is impossible to seal   
an existence away, although it is possible to forget about it. And it   
seems that this was what happened until now."  
  
"So, what happens now that the Shadow Realm have been   
rediscovered?" Yuugi questioned.   
  
"Nothing good." Yami-Yuugi frowned. "To abuse the   
power of the Shadow Realm means sure death. Yet, to ride on the   
victory of each Game the Realm provides can result in complete   
power and authority."  
  
"Complete authority." Yuugi repeated, slightly   
overwhelmed by the entire discussion. "The… Authority!"  
  
"Exactly. All this time, I have been waiting for the   
Authority to make a move through the Shadow Realm because I   
know enough of their ambition." Yami-Yuugi closed his eyes, almost   
in regret. "They are the challengers, and they have set up a Game, an   
invitation for anyone to accept. If they win this Game, then they will   
win they the prize of dominance. Control. Magic. Enough power to   
overtake any rebellious forces and create the utopian dream world of   
their desires forever."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened. "A permanent paradise?"  
  
"Not a paradise. A utopia so perfect, you cannot do anything   
but be forced to accept it. That in my opinion is the worst hell anyone   
can create."  
  
***********************************  
  
"Not too bad." Yami-Yuugi complimented as Yuugi held   
within his cupped hands a small glowing sphere, one of the simpler   
Light-type Spells. He was impressed at how fast his Aibou was able   
to learn, often picking up certain nuances only an adept would have   
pondered to reflect on.   
  
With a smile, Yuugi brought both of his hands over the   
sphere, flattening them so that the light collapsed and spilled out   
from the cracks between his closed hands. He knew that the Spell   
itself would simply blink out of existence the moment he lost his   
concentration, although it amused him to manipulate the spell to his   
own will. Whenever he invoked upon Magic, it always seemed as if   
his Yami was guiding him, even though Yami-Yuugi gave no   
pointers save the obvious.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes flickered in amusement as he watched   
Yuugi's display at the end. "You're very good, you know. Although   
we should just take one element to practice on before tackling any   
others."  
  
"What element is your favourite to use?" The small boy   
asked his Yami, voice tinged with curiousity.  
  
Yami-Yuugi shrugged. "I'm really a dabbler in Magic,   
using all the elements and sometimes a combination of certain types   
if necessary. Yet, since a person born with Magic is always tied to a   
specific element at first, my natural element is 'Dark'."  
  
Yuugi smiled, recognizing the pun on his other's name.   
"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."  
  
The Yami chuckled in response, playfully ruffling his   
Aibou's hair. "And I'd have to say that Light magic is your best bet   
so far."  
  
Yuugi responded by extending his forefinger and thumb into   
a 'L' shape, concentrating slightly to create a spark of light so that it   
rested between his fingers like a sling. He then forced the thin spark   
of light to shoot out from between his fingers and straight towards his   
Yami's face. The trajectory burst into a shower of glittering light on   
the last moment before impact, flickering and dying like a plume of   
stars.  
  
Not missing a beat, Yami-Yuugi responded by reversing his   
Aibou's spell, freezing the glowing lights to the exact moment when   
they had burst into brilliance. He then plucked this eerie assortment   
of vibrant white from the still air, handing the entire arrangement to   
Yuugi as if it were a flower.   
  
Yuugi graciously accepted his Yami's "gift", giggling as his   
Yami mock-pouted when the small boy scattered the arrangement   
into a shower of sparks, watching gleefully as they rocketed in   
all directions before disappearing into nothingness. He made sure   
however, that the largest scattered chunk danced around his Yami's   
nose before exploding playfully in front of the Darkness's eyes.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes lit up in the same glowing hue,   
reflecting an odd and almost vicious virility. "Why you…" The Yami   
growled, voice mockingly deep and menacing.   
  
Only managing to squeeze out a squeak of surprise, Yuugi   
found himself lying on the soft untamed evening grass, gazing into a   
pair of vibrant crimson eyes. He dared not to move as his Yami   
stooped on top of him, firm hands pinning the small boy's shoulders   
to the ground in an uncontested gesture for dominance.   
  
The two stayed like that for a moment, each feeling the   
warm breath rise from their chests and fall like mist into the biting   
night air. Neither one dared to speak as they continued to gaze at   
each other, lips frozen in search for words while time continued to   
pass by.   
  
And Yuugi realized that he could not avert his normally shy   
eyes away from his other. He continued to draw in almost suppressed   
breaths, capturing every minute detail of his Yami, from the sleek   
muscles under the Darkness's slightly loose shirt to the drooping   
strands of golden hair falling against his ivory face. Even the   
gleaming white of Yami-Yuugi's canines added a touch of surreality,   
creating the eerie image of a lost spectre hungrily waiting to claim   
his soul.   
  
In turn, Yami-Yuugi's eyes traveled in admiration at the   
small boy's almost fragile form, although he could feel the pounding   
of his Aibou's heart beating with a million pulses of determination.   
For a single impulsive second, he wanted no more than to consume   
his other with a ferocity of hidden emotions. A desire was building   
within his tense form, waiting for that single moment between now   
and forever.   
  
Compelled by the surrealistic aura of his Yami, Yuugi drew   
his head closer to his other, letting his other claim him when their   
lips met. A tingle of ecstasy surged across the smaller boy's mind,   
the taste of the kiss lingering with the essence of Magic, a force that   
only invigorated the small boy. This time, it was Yuugi who   
tentatively locked lips with his other, exchanging emotions for only a   
scant few seconds before hastily breaking apart rather abashed.   
  
Yami-Yuugi growled in slight disappointment as his aibou   
pulled away, his senses now peaked with a passionate intensity   
spurred by their exchange of Magic, currently intertwined between   
their souls. The Yami clasped his arm over Yuugi's back, drawing   
his aibou's body closer towards them until his own body could feel   
the soft fabric of his aibou's clothing. The Yami then let his lips   
travel down Yuugi's chin, mind screaming with barely suppressed   
desire as his tongue gently stroked the side of Yuugi's neck; careful   
not to let his canines pierce his Light's soft skin.   
  
Yuugi let a moan fall from his lips as shivers of pleasure   
vibrated across his skin, allowing the Magic between them to   
accelerate in excitement, forcing the pair into an almost   
uncontrollable lust. The small boy's fingers intertwined with his   
Yami's, never letting go as they locked into another ferocious kiss.   
  
The kiss would have lasted perhaps forever, had Yami-  
Yuugi not suddenly pulled away, averting his gaze to break the   
moment of intimacy. The world suddenly collapsed back into reality,   
everything returning with an all-too painful intensity.   
  
Only after a few seconds did Yuugi dare to move, eyes   
widening and putting a hand to his lips in surprise, as if just realizing   
what he had done. He said nothing, though violet eyes stared   
beseechingly at his other.   
  
Yami-Yuugi quickly turned away from the gaze, his own   
heart pounding heavily. "I'm sorry Yuugi. I acted wrongly." The   
Yami clipped his words precise and to the point, cheeks still burning   
a deep scarlet.   
  
Yuugi, however, did not protest, but simply gazed at his   
other with the same childish curiosity. "_What's_ wrong Yami?" The   
small boy's gaze fell, sad and melancholy. "Was it something I did?"  
  
How did one explain the truth behind a dazzling lie? Not   
that he didn't love Yuugi, but because he loved the small boy too   
much to hurt him. For in the corner of his mind still stalked the   
_real_ truth; the truth he had accepted as his final fate since his   
existence. And now, he cursed it. "No, Aibou, its not you. I can't  
really explain it right now. Just…just go to sleep."   
  
Kissing his Aibou softly on the forehead, Yami-Yuugi   
positioned Yuugi on the grass so that he himself could stretch his   
muscles and stand, statuesque, a guardian warding his light against   
all forms of harm. And, as the Yami watched his other slowly drift   
off into an exhausted slumber, he admired Yuugi's gentle face,   
stroking it softly with a hold almost-invisible hand and knowing that   
it was the closest he would ever get to him. Correction: The closest   
he _should_.   
  
The Darkness finally lay down amidst the dancing fringes of   
velvet green grass, eyes shifting to the stars. Absent-mindedly, he   
pulled from his pocket a slightly disheveled -looking white card,   
letting his fingers examine the smooth surface. He continued to   
fiddle with the card until his dark eyes locked with the even darker   
words, suddenly spinning on the once-blank white card. The stunned   
Yami read the message carefully, not missing a single word:  
  
"We are waiting for you, Yu-Gi-Oh."  
  
And when he flipped the card over, there lay, in the same   
place:  
  
"Club 0013"  
  
*******************************  
  
Only until Yuugi had woken up from a good night's rest did   
Yami-Yuugi proclaim his sudden change of objectives. With the   
young boy traveling rather dazedly in his Soul Room, Yami-Yuugi   
took off in an agitated run towards a destination that was vague at   
best. He was not concerned, however, with his lack of direction; for   
the Puzzle was more than sentient and now, it guided the Yami with   
amazing accuracy. Yes, the Puzzle knew where to go.   
  
And so, Yami-Yuugi ran in a ferocious lope against all   
coherent time and space, unaware of even a sense of direction. At   
along last, he stopped, panting slightly from such a long trek. The   
Yami raised his head; crimson eyes scanning the peaceful morning   
complete with pine trees and a canopy of lush moss. Unfortunately,   
there was nothing else in sight.   
  
Yami-Yuugi frowned, wondering if the Puzzle had guided   
him to the wrong destination. He considered this thought for only a   
few seconds before deeming it impossible – the Millenium Puzzle was part of   
him; the part that gifted him with his reputation as the Game King.   
And that part was never wrong.   
  
/What are we looking for?/ Yuugi peered through his   
Yami's eyes, just as confused as his other. /I don't see anything,   
besides some trees./  
  
Yet, once the Yami desired something, he did not give up   
easily. So now, the Darkness prowled slowly around the fringes of   
the forest, scanning every inch of tree and moss for clues. He pulled   
the white card out from his pocket, noticing rather absently that the   
words had long faded away, leaving only the typical "Club 0013"   
printed on its face.   
  
Oddly enough, the card was warm to the touch, though the   
Yami had left it in his pocket for many an hour. Eyes narrowing in   
reasonable suspicion, the Yami again circled around the parameters,   
the Puzzle around his neck glowing slightly to reflect his agitation.   
He _would_ find the hideout of this "Club" and he would find them   
_now_.   
  
Having promised himself that much satisfaction, the Yami,   
once again began re-tracing his steps. That is, he would have retraced   
his steps had the ground not suddenly gave a tremendous shudder.   
Yami-Yuugi barely had time for a startled shout before the earth   
trembled again and suddenly split open, a dismal chasm   
unfortunately forming right where the Yami was standing. With   
another resounding stretch of its crusty surface, the ground happily   
swallowed up the stunned Yami, closing its dark brown mass as if   
nothing had happened.   
  
However, it was more than obvious that _something_ had   
happened to him. Yami-Yuugi was now falling in a tunnel of   
darkness, the sheer dropping sensation slightly nauseating. However,   
his mind was more than functional, and the Yami rapidly took   
advantage of his state to call upon a Wind Spell. Quickly, strands of   
wind, stagnant from the strange underground darkness, blew into life,   
surrounding the falling Yami and easing his descent. Seconds later,   
Yami-Yuugi's feet made contact with the ground, though he was still   
blinded by the darkness. Yami-Yuugi quickly took care of that   
problem by using the same Light Spell he had taught his Aibou only   
yesterday. Immediately, the cavern lit up in a burst of unnatural light,   
spilling against the corners and banishing the shadowy edges of   
mystery.   
  
Yami-Yuugi examined this strange cavern, noting with   
puzzlement the walls carved out of smooth, polished rock, a   
fluorescent white in hue. For a cavern so far underground, it   
suspiciously boasted even-sided walls, widening and narrowing in a   
vast expanse of space like a gigantic corridor.   
  
Slightly curious, the Yami began to trod down this corridor,   
his senses always alert and as focused as possible. Unfortunately, he   
was not focused enough to sense a person behind him until the said   
person politely shifted her clothing, the fabric creating a slight   
rustling sound. Startled, the Yami quickly faced the source of the   
sound, regarding the figure of an elegant lady, her eyes half closed as   
if asleep.   
  
Upon seeing that the Yami was watching her, this lady   
opened her eyes, revealing a deep garnet mingled with untellable age   
and wisdom, though she appeared barely twenty. The woman stood   
up, bowing slightly to Yami-Yuugi as she held in one hand a gigantic   
key-shaped staff. Strangely enough, her long forest-green hair   
remained pooled behind her back, unnaturally still. The lady then   
looked up again at Yami-Yuugi, smiling rather enigmatically.   
  
"The Game King, I presume?" Her voice came out in a   
refined and slightly amused purr.  
  
Yami-Yuugi, having been surprised too many times   
recently, could only gather enough wits to stare and gape.   
  
  
**************************************************  
  
End notes:  
  
*reads above* I'm sorry for the slight yaoi. I warned you at the very   
beginning of the fic, so you can't blame me. ;P  
  
Eevee muse: Well, review –36787.232123 times, or else the   
next chapter won't go up!   
  
Zoo: -_-;; give me a break!   
  
Eevee muse: ^.^ Well, it saves me from editing your bad material!~  
  
_Actual_ End notes: Myst-Lady, Melinda, Natural Chaos, GET   
YOUR NEW FICS OUT NOW!!! *Big glaring eyes* Okay, I'm   
calm now… 


	10. Customizing a Deck

Author's notes:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. Oh! Is that a   
flying pig I see?  
  
Wow! Over 1000 Yu-Gi-Oh fanfics! Amazing! Congratulations to   
everyone who wrote – keep up the great work!   
  
Okay, I lied… there isn't that much action in this chapter ^^(). I'm   
trying to lead up into the grand finale. I'm predicting about 4 – 5 more   
chapters until the end! YAY!  
  
~ dream sequence ~  
  
*********************************************  
  
"But where is all their anguish now, and where are all their tears?"  
  
- Emily Bronte, "Song"  
  
********************************************  
  
Customizing a Deck: (Kaiba: 3 Blue Eyes, 1 Crush Card Virus…   
Zoo: o_o)  
  
Despite the fact that Kaiba was traveling at breakneck pace, he   
could not, even at a maximum sprint, lose sight of Jounochi. Said   
blonde-haired boy was currently trailing behind him like a lost puppy,   
sometimes hollering out questions or demands in which the techno-  
magician purposely ignored.   
  
Kaiba suddenly came to a stop, almost hitting his nose against   
the wall as Jounochi accidentally bumped into his lanky frame. The   
brown-haired boy immediately shot Jounochi a death glare before   
returning to examine his _actual_ reason for stopping.   
  
"I don't see what's so interesting about here." Jounochi   
complained loudly, his brash voice reverberating against the empty   
hallways.   
  
Kaiba gritted his teeth, wondering to himself whether or not   
anyone would care if the blonde boy conveniently "disappeared". Upon   
realizing that he was wasting his time even thinking of such thoughts,   
the techo-magician began again focusing on his task at hand.   
  
An inability to use real Magic had always put the brown-  
haired boy at a disadvantage, especially during Duels involving the   
Shadow Realm. Of course, he had taken care of this problem by   
proposing a simple solution – create Magic simulated by technology.   
Spells were programmed by microscopic chips able to react to a million   
commands and twists of the mind's brain waves. Monsters could be   
projected and shifted into molecular reality through strict programming.   
Yes, Kaiba was a genius in a type of "magic" that had died years ago   
ever since the rise of the Authority. Thus, his name "Techno-  
Magician". A magician of technology.   
  
So now, Seto Kaiba brought a hand to his ear, focusing a   
command in his mind. Immediately, the computer chips fused into his   
brain activated, deciphering the pattern of his brain waves to relay the   
instructions to the layers of cleverly created programming currently   
running through the boy's body. It would be a lie to call the techno-  
Magician a "boy", for he was older than the eldest surviving person. To   
be exactly, Kaiba was three-thousand years old, give or take a century.   
The reason?   
  
He was not human. Seto Kaiba had stopped existing as a   
human two-thousand nine-hundred eighty years ago. For now, his   
synthetic blood, created by careful genetic cloning and replicating of   
his own body millennia ago, was mingled with layers of wiring and   
steel plating, chrome transistors and parallel wires running across his   
entire body.   
  
Kaiba hid his secret well, his tall trench coat often covering up   
the most obvious layering of machinery, the blood running through his   
body allowing a false illusion of a live human body. And as long as he   
stayed away from close human contact, as long as he stayed away from   
the suspicion of others, he would be safe. _That_ was why Kaiba now   
hated Jounochi. Because he feared that the other boy might discover his   
secret. A secret that was best left forgotten, because it reminded many   
of the Old times; times that held a mutual bitterness. For it was that   
time in the past which had lead to Now.   
  
Taking advantage of his now heightened senses, Kaiba   
listened closely to a conversation behind the current wall he was   
standing against. It was by far a strain for the naked ear, so Kaiba   
increased the frequency of his reception, allowing a greater sensitivity   
to the distant sound waves.   
  
"What do you want?"  
  
The voice was tough and commanding, and Kaiba had no   
difficulty recognizing it as the Game King's. He clenched his fingers   
into a fist as he listened to another's demure response, although not   
really absorbing any meaning. The Game King. A rival that the techno-  
magician was fated to challenge until he finally reqlenished his worth.   
Yes, Kaiba was convinced that the Game King was indeed _the_ Game   
King that legends had spoken about, though one thought still worried   
his mind. Surely, the Game King would choose and side and win. But   
winning did not mean a victory. It by far did not ensure success.   
  
"Yo. Kaiba. You gonna keep on ignoring me like this?"   
Again, Jounochi couldn't resist adding in a comment.   
  
Due to the sensitivity of his frequency receptors, Kaiba nearly   
had a heart attack at the sound of Jounochi's voice.   
"Look," He quietly hissed at Jounochi, just in case anyone   
could hear the pair of them – in which case it would be too late already   
since the blond-haired boy had hollered from there to here, "The   
information I'm getting could lead to either destruction or salvation of   
the society of mankind, so I kindly suggest for you to shut your trap   
and either follow silently along or better yet, just leave."  
  
Upon realizing that Kaiba was not in a joking mood, Jounochi   
sobered. "Okay, okay," Came the miffed reply, "No more talking back.   
Nope, none at all!"  
  
So, Kaiba left his position on the wall, taking several steps   
further to examine any niches where he could at least observe the   
interaction between the Game King and the other unknown figure.   
Jounochi quietly trailed behind him, although at brief intervals, certain   
random mumbling could be heard from the blond-haired boy's mouth.   
  
***********************************************  
  
Yami-Yuugi balled his fingers into fists, not trusting the   
woman for a second. There was an air of deception around her, deep   
eyes hiding an ancient and possibly horrible secret. No, the Yami did   
not like mysteries – they were his to solve and conquer, not to remain   
puzzled over.   
  
/What's going on?/ Yuugi demanded, slightly alarmed by   
Yami's hostility towards this woman. /Who is she?/  
  
Yami-Yuugi did not reply, although he was all but attacking   
the woman.   
  
The green-haired woman kept her smile, eyes firm and   
subtlety analyzing. "Do you not trust me, Game King?" She asked, tone   
amused.   
  
"No." Came the Yami's blunt reply. "Give me a reason first."   
  
"If you insist." The woman's smile fell into a lopsided smirk   
before disappearing completely. She suddenly tightened her grip on her   
gigantic key-shaped staff, rapidly twirling it with ease in both hands.   
Faster than Yami-Yuugi could react, she thrust the blunt end of her   
staff centimeters away from the Yami's face.   
"I could choose to kill you at this moment." Her figure   
remained stock still, muscles not even twitching slightly, "Or, I could   
choose to spare your life."  
  
There was a moment of silent tension between the two before   
Yami-Yuugi suddenly threw his head back and laughed. Still smirking   
smugly, the Yami tilted his head so that they were level with the   
woman's. "Don't mock me. You know I'm not real."  
  
The woman shrugged indifferently. "Trust me, Game King.   
You are very real." The still Garnet orb sitting on the ornamental head   
of the woman's staff began glowing a brilliant crimson, though   
everything else stood still.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened as invisible claws suddenly dived   
into his chest, ripping the very fabric of his soul apart. The Yami   
gasped in agony, the claws tearing away part of him, crudely discarding   
the shredded part into another reality.   
  
For a moment, time seemed to distort and unfold upon itself as   
it sought to cover the newly invoked paradox created by the woman's   
Magic. However, the strange Garnet orb continued to spill with   
perplexing Magic, forcing reality to warp and adjust.   
  
When the Yami dared to open his eyes again, he found himself   
in a strange arid desert, strongly reminiscent of his ancient past. A   
twinge of homesickness shot through his heart, though he quickly   
covered it and sought, instead, to master the situation at hand.   
  
Only then did he realize something else.   
  
//Yuugi!// Yami-Yuugi's voice projected both mentally and   
physically though either way, he received no reply. Desperate, the  
Yami tried again, searching for that lost piece of his soul.   
  
"You don't have to be so loud." The familiar voice of the   
green-haired lady interrupted the Yami's cries, rather bemused than   
anything else. "It's not like this is the first time this happened."  
  
Angrily, Yami-Yuugi whipped around, face contorted into a   
snarl. "Bitch!" He shouted, eyes glowing with rage. "What have you   
done with him?"  
  
The green-haired lady, also once known as the Guardian of   
Time, and known before that as Setsuna Meiou, simply shook her head.   
"It is much safer to talk to you in private, Yu-Gi-Oh. If you will   
cooperatively listen to my proposition, you will get your Light back."  
  
Yami-Yuugi was about to snap into a further maelstrom of   
rage when he finally deducted that she might not be bluffing. "Fine."   
The Yami crossed his arms. "But if you have done anything with   
him…"  
  
"Oh, its nothing like that." Came her genuine reply. "For you   
are the one in greater danger."  
  
***************************************  
  
~The world was screaming. That was the only way to voice   
Yuugi's fear, echoing until it became a gigantic mass of guttural   
shrieks ringing in his ears. Each call came claw-like to lunge and tear a   
shred of Yuugi's courage before chuckling and disappearing into   
endless fathoms. Wearily dragging his feet on the desolate ground, the   
small boy tried to escape the cries. Silent tears dribbled down his fears,   
though his voice remained choked and void of all sentience.   
  
Everything was a mass of scarlet and black. Between the two   
alternating shades lay perhaps a splatter of ochre or a spark of violet   
before dying into a crimson-dark swirl. However, the colours did not   
shift and blend smoothly with each another but rather pulsated and   
grossly contorted their shades. It was not a mixture of colour but a   
vulgar contortion symbolic of a shattered reality.   
  
The whimper growing in his throat, Yuugi quickened his pace,   
legs shuffling wearily with each forced step. He faltered and lost his   
balance, falling to crack his chin painfully against the cold unyielding   
ground. A dizzying sensation accompanied the stumble, his mind   
reeling in physical pain. Silently, Yuugi struggled onto his   
knees, spitting out the warm blood pooling in his mouth, additional   
crimson covering white teeth. Teeth painfully embedded into a   
bleeding tongue.   
  
There was too much red. Everywhere. Around him, below   
him, even on his shirt and pants. Violet eyes dilated into pinpoints,   
despair causing his buckling arms to collapse weakly against the   
ground. His entire body lay sprawled, shirt staining and accumulating   
the spilt blood. And the small boy closed his eyelids, wishing no more   
than to fall into the widely promised eternal sleep.   
  
Yet, fate, even in a dream, seemed to have other intentions. A   
jangle of metal suddenly clanked against the ground, chiming like soft   
bells before coming to a halt. Startled, Yuugi forced his swollen eyes   
open, blank irises searching for the disturbance. A glimmer of dull gold   
caught the boy's sight, though Yuugi's body lay motionless and   
without initiative.   
  
As if sensing Yuugi's reluctance, the gold seemed to sparkle   
and suddenly flare up with internal light, piercing the lurid darkness   
around it before ebbing. It beckoned him now, warm light filling Yuugi   
with a tingling surge of energy. And forcing his limbs to once again   
move to the beats of their master, Yuugi clambered onto his knees,   
crawling towards the golden glimmer as if it was all that mattered. In   
fact it _was_ all that mattered now.   
  
Small hands blindly groped and touched a smooth metal   
surface. Yuugi picked up the beckoning golden object, examining it   
with confused eyes unable to recognize beyond acceptance. The golden   
circular object chimed as Yuugi brushed an experimental fingertip   
across the cone-shaped tips hanging underneath its brim. A single   
golden eye stared placately across the center of a larger triangle   
embedded in the center of the ornament.   
  
It was a ring.   
  
Yet, Yuugi did not pick the item up for its power. He did not   
clench the object in one hand because of its potential. For the boy was   
unaware even of the existence of the Millennium Ring, and though his   
Yami might have laughed in irony had he seen the situation, Yuugi   
simply did not know. For true knowledge is best left untampered.   
  
What mystified Yuugi, instead, was that strange ring seemed   
to sparkle with encouragement, sometimes glowing in synchronization   
with his own Puzzle. The two items greeted each other in almost a   
vicious embrace, vibrating with ancient Magic as if exchanging a long-  
waited for conversation.   
  
A tingle of familiarity trickled across Yuugi's memory as he   
gazed into this ancient ring. For a moment, he saw the sad face of a   
white-haired boy gazing from the ornament's flat triangular surface, but   
that soon disappeared along with the memory.   
  
Perhaps, Yuugi might have re-lived that memory had a sudden   
cry not interrupted the boy from his thoughts. It was not the pounding   
cries of fear and darkness but an all-too-human cry; a pleading cry for   
help much like his own agonized soul. Curious and slightly afraid,   
Yuugi began running towards the source, fingers clenched around his   
Puzzle in a determination he did not feel.   
  
Now, Yuugi could see a sudden break in the morbid   
atmosphere. There, only several dashes away from the small boy stood   
a glimmer of pure feathery white. With newfound anticipation, Yuugi   
forced his trembling legs across the distance until he was face-to-face   
with the dazzling white. And his heart slowly dipped in disappointment   
as he realized that this was not his beautiful angel that he had   
anticipated.   
  
She turned towards Yuugi, tanned hands calmly brushing back   
strands of hair covered by a long white veil. Her ivory gown neither   
rustled nor shook when she moved to turn to the smaller boy and   
impassively regard him. Instead, she just simply stood there, limp as a   
statue.   
  
Yuugi, in turn, gaped at this maiden in puzzlement, shifting   
uncomfortably on his feet as he sought to spark a conversation.   
Anything to drive away the insanity of the chaotic darkness around   
him.   
"Excuse me miss, but where am I?"  
  
The maiden said nothing, though her golden jewelry chimed   
gently as she simply lifted her arm and pointed. First, she raised her   
right arm, gesturing to Yuugi's left. Quickly, another left arm snaked   
towards Yuugi's right, the two limbs crossing rather elegantly in the   
center.   
  
And when Yuugi turned to peer at the direction of the   
gesturing hand, he saw not crimson and black but a large golden casket   
embedded with ancient runes. Craning his neck towards the right,   
Yuugi's eyes met an identical sight.   
  
Still confused, Yuugi's gaze quickly shot back to the   
mysterious maiden, only to realize that she had disappeared. In her   
place, instead, lay a limp figure, restrained by a continuous network of   
chains which snaked around the body and confined the actions of every   
limb and muscle until said body was forced to lie flat on the ground.   
Dull brown hair plastered a face plagued with discoloured bruises and   
dried blood. It took the boy several seconds before his mind collected   
the actual meaning behind those pictures, and then, everything spun too   
fast.   
  
"Anzu?" Yuugi heard himself question, running towards the   
pitiful figure who lay ravaged against the tides of death. The small boy   
bit his lip, stopping himself from crying out in fear as his examined the   
girl's disfigured state. Like a broken rag doll, the girl once known as   
Anzu remained mute.   
"ANZU!" Yuugi cried out, hands clasping the girl's head in   
the same fragile manner as holding a porcelain vase.   
  
Caked lips painted with dull brown blood parted open to   
whisper a single word. "Yuu… gi?" Anzu's eyes fluttered open, though   
they were not a sparkling sapphire blue but dull silver, blank and   
meaningless.   
  
Yuugi cried out in pity as he saw those dull eyes, bringing a   
trembling hand to touch Anzu's face as if to confirm that she was real.   
"Anzu, what… what happened?"  
  
The brown-haired girl, the friend to all of Yuugi's pleasant   
childhood memories, replied only with a hoarse cough, vacant silver   
irises lolling to one side of her face. A parched tongue brushed the   
sides of her lips before recoiling back in pain. "No."  
  
"No?" Tears were flowing freely from the small boy's eyes,   
the unrealistic suffering that his friend currently was under too much   
for him to accept beyond a figment of the imagination. And yet, the boy   
stayed firm beside Anzu, afraid of what might happen to her lest he   
leave. "What do you mean, Anzu?"  
  
"Anzu?" The girl who was known as Anzu began laughing,   
breaking into a choked cough. A trickle of blood dribbled down one   
side of her mouth and stained her caked chin with newfound scarlet.   
"Who is this Anzu?"  
  
Yuugi recoiled in surprise. "What? Aren't you   
Anzu?"  
  
"A name." Another weak twitch of the brown-haired girl's   
cheek, which might have been her only attempt at a smile. "Too many   
names. They come and go. And here I am. But I have to go too."  
  
"Stop it, Anzu." Yuugi balled his free hand into a fist, clasping   
the smooth metal of a Ring currently in his hand. "Stop acting like this.   
It's… wrong!"  
  
"That's good." For a moment, Anzu's blank eyes seemed to   
stare directly at Yuugi, though they reflected nothing but his own   
reflection. Her body gave a sudden twitch, breaking into slight   
convulsions, though her head hung limply on one side, exposing a   
beautiful white neck pierced only by two perfectly even points, the   
blood pooled there long since dry. "I'm glad… that…"  
  
Yuugi strained to hear the last sentence, grasping the fading   
twitches of her body and leaning his ear close to the soft breaths of her   
mouth. He recoiled back in fear as Anzu's body gave another pulsating   
twitch before she sighed and relaxed her tense muscles. Her lips still   
lay parted in mid-speech, though nothing else came out. And the pitiful   
rags that covered her chest no longer moved, finally forced to take a   
deserved rest.   
"Anzu?" Yuugi bravely ventured, voice quavering with   
restrained dread. "An…zu?" The boy nuzzled his face close to her hair,   
resting his cheek against her soft body as he tried to find some comfort   
and warmth. "Please?"  
  
"Cut the stupid melodrama. Just give up already."  
  
Yuugi swiveled his head in all directions, trying to pinpoint a   
gruff voice echoing everywhere at once.   
  
"No!" Another voice, clear and resonating interrupted the first.   
"Love transcends death, and you must always love!"  
  
"Stupid." The first interrupted. "It's all in vain, you know.   
Meaningless and purposeless."  
  
"Not true! Everyone has a destiny." Came the valiant retort.   
  
Yuugi's mind spun as he listened to the two arguing voices,   
both strangely disembodied.   
  
"There is only Evil..."  
  
"With evil comes Good!"  
  
"Life achieves only end..."  
  
"With the end comes Promise!"  
  
"Greed feeds humanity…"  
  
"With-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Yuugi screamed, vexed by the voices and driven   
to complete agitation by everything else that had happened. The boy   
painfully squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the agony increasing   
contracting his soul. The crimson of this nether-world paled in contrast   
to his internal scars, but Yuugi refused to give in. "Both of you, just –   
just shut up!" The small boy bowed his head weakly above Anzu's   
limp body, raising violet eyes to simply glare into space. "_What_ do   
you want?" His voice cracked painfully as he squeezed out the last   
sentence.   
  
"A Balance." The answer came not from the voices but from   
the white-gowned maiden. She ignored Yuugi's blatant surprise and   
walked closer to the small boy. "What will you choose, Mutou Yuugi?"   
Elegant arms again raised their fingers to point at the two sturdy   
caskets.   
  
Yuugi glanced at the twin golden caskets on both sides of him.   
One hand still lay on Anzu's cold neck, not daring to leave her even   
after death. "Why? Why do I have to choose?"  
  
The maiden shrugged, ruffling her straight hair. "Then don't."  
  
The two caskets lay side by side, each one a good five meters   
away from the other. Between the golden boxes stood the maiden,   
becoming no more involved than a hauntingly elegant statue. Yuugi's   
eyes again darted to stare at the two identical boxes. What was the   
point of choosing if both boxes were identical? The boy began to back   
away, one hand grasping his Puzzle instinctively for comfort while the   
other lay clasped to the Ring.   
  
"Choose Good!" Sang the box on the right, suddenly springing   
to life with a million fragmented images of happiness and peace. The   
birds sang, the trees rustled, and the flowers blossomed to life.   
  
"Choose Evil…" Hissed the one on the left, leaving a dank   
acrid taste of hatred and death, darkness frosting every touch of its   
bony hand.  
  
Yuugi's heart leapt as he saw the beauty of the Good box, and   
he instinctively rushed to touch the casket and open its clasp.   
  
The Ring shone.   
  
Pausing and unsure of himself, Yuugi pivoted, troubled mind   
seeking to release the Evil box and bring and end to his misery.   
  
The Puzzle glimmered.   
  
Torn, Yuugi could only stop halfway, aware of both forces   
seeking to lull him. Each one promised a million desires, snatched up   
greedily by his ambitious heart. Yuugi cringed as he felt his mind   
literally break down confronted by both halves of a whole. If his Yami   
was here…  
  
Looking up, the small boy suddenly smiled, a radiance he did   
not feel. He knew he could only win by bluffing. "I have decided. I   
have chosen something better than Good and worse than Evil."  
  
The maiden regarded Yuugi with a bemused smile playing on   
her lips. "Oh? And pray tell me what that might be?"  
  
Yuugi analyzed and copied her confident smile, though his   
own heart quavered. "Why should I tell you?"  
  
The maiden simply laughed, her voice both melodic and   
mocking. "Don't tease me Mutou Yuugi. I know very well that nothing   
is better than Good or worse than Evil. They are the very forces that   
exist as the extreme poles of the universe."  
  
"You're right." Yuugi whispered. "Nothing. That's what I   
choose." And the boy suddenly drew from his free hand a Duel   
Monsters card, analyzing its picture for a split second. Any card would   
have done, as long as he could escape. However, when it came to   
Magic, the Puzzle gave no "second chances", and immediately flared to   
life, calling upon the exact card needed.   
  
Yuugi stared wide-eyed at the drawn card in his hand, a   
sudden revolutionary idea playing in his mind. Confirming this change   
of tactics, the small boy awakened the sleeping card.   
"I call upon the Soul Exchange card to switch the places of Good and   
Evil within the boxes!" Yuugi heard himself cry out, small voice   
projecting loudly and clearly.   
  
The Spell was immediately activated by the Magic, expanding   
and shifting into action. Said card now seized the two boxes, switching   
the placement of the entities within their empty golden shells.   
  
"You see." In his mind, Yuugi could hear his Yami talking, as   
if his Yami was saying everything and not him. "The boxes have not   
changed. But the insides has been switched. So, does that mean that   
Good is now Evil, or perhaps that there was no Good originally in the   
box? You cannot tell by a single event – every moment draws on the   
other. And although _nothing_ is greater than Good or worse than Evil,   
there is something that chains the two together." Yuugi took in a few   
more breaths, to steady his overflowing mind. An image of his golden-  
haired angel flickered encouragingly in his memory. "And I choose   
_nothing_ but Hope."  
  
Suddenly, both entities in the boxes began to shriek fiercely,   
flaring up suddenly with malevolent flames and torrential storms. The   
billowing wind eventually faded, leaving only a single golden box in   
the center. The lock clicked once, and out from the box stood a boy,   
tanned face toughening his demeanor, though his dark eyes shone   
softly.   
  
The maiden behind the single casket smiled as she nodded in   
recognition at the light-haired boy. "Hello, Malik."  
  
Malik, if that was indeed his name, bowed just slightly. "It's   
nice to see you, Isis."  
  
Yuugi couldn't help but notice that this boy's voice sounded   
oddly like a combination of the two voices of Good and Evil within the   
caskets.   
  
Both the maiden deemed "Isis" and the strange boy "Malik"   
turned to stare with identical pairs of eyes at Yuugi.   
  
"Well," Isis began. "What do you think?"  
  
Malik grinned, the smile rather leering than pleasant. "We'll   
figure out in the long run."  
  
"Wait!" Yuugi interrupted, completely baffled. "What do you   
mean? What is going on here?"  
  
"That is for you to figure out." Isis replied. She then turned to   
Malik, beckoning him. "Come brother, our task here is over."  
  
Malik quickly leapt out of the golden casket, the object   
flickering out of existence as he left its confinements. Though Isis had   
left, the pale-haired boy paused, gaze creeping towards Yuugi for the   
last time. "I'm sorry for all that has happened, Yuugi. I would accuse   
someone else, though you would find no one to blame but me." He   
managed a weak genuine smile, long alabaster canines glistening   
against dark-red lips.   
  
And before Yuugi could even begin to question, he too   
disappeared. ~  
  
********************************************  
  
When Yuugi woke up, he was surrounded again by a stifling   
darkness. Half-wondering if he was still dreaming, the boy twisted   
vainly to view his surroundings. Quietly, he cupped his hands together,   
generating a small sphere of light between his palms. The dark room   
immediately lit up in a dim glow, revealing only the bed Yuugi was   
currently sleeping on as well as a mirror on one side of the room and a   
drawer on the other. The wall adjacent to the door held a large window   
reflecting the luminescence of the white moon.   
  
"Was it just a dream?" Yuugi's free hand immediately shot   
towards his chest, locating the Puzzle still hanging around his neck.   
However, it was cold, a dull emptiness residing in the once vibrant   
Millennium Piece due to its absence of an occupant.   
  
The small boy's heart fell, and he curled his knees to his chest,   
rocking himself back and forth while tears dribbled down his cheeks.   
With no one to comfort him, the boy drifted off into an agitated sleep,   
although gratefully dreamless.   
  
And all around him lay three other items, each one   
surrounding the boy and glowing with its own protective light. A Ring,   
a Tauk, and a Scale. Each one golden and resonating with the same   
ancient Magic. The Puzzle in the center grew brighter.   
  
*******************************************  
  
When Yami-Yuugi peered into the small bedroom, he saw the   
sleeping form of his Aibou, curled into the soft bed-sheets. The Yami   
sighed in relief as he crept towards Yuugi and caressed the boy's soft   
cheek with one hand. It was wet and slightly damp.   
  
Yami-Yuugi continued to stare at Yuugi before abandoning   
his post and turning to face the moonlit window. Crimson eyes gazed   
fondly at the brilliant stars littering the dark sky outside; a vain hand   
brushed the side of the glass to reach beyond the cold unyielding   
surface.   
  
The Yami bowed his head, letting each ghostly tear slide   
shamefully down his own face. He hastily banished the tears and eased   
beside his Aibou to lie down on one side of the soft bed. A finger   
fondly played with a golden strand of the sleeping Light's hair before   
quickly averting positions and grasping the smooth metal of the Puzzle   
instead. In a twist of reality, Yami-Yuugi retreated back to his   
confinements within the Puzzle.   
  
********************************************  
  
The hazy morning was not met by the conventional tippet of   
sound but rather a shattering alarm tearing ruthlessly through the fabric   
of silence. A siren wailed at maximum volume, startling several of the   
building's occupants from their peaceful dreams.   
  
Yuugi unconsciously thrashed as his sensitive ears met the   
piercing sound, banging his head against the side of the bed.   
Immediately awake, the small boy clenched his throbbing forehead   
only to realize too late that he was midway from falling onto the floor.   
He managed a squeak before his rear end and back collided several feet   
downward against the hard surface.  
  
Of course, Yami-Yuugi had been wide-awake since the   
beginning of the ruckus, though he too was puzzled by the commotion.   
The Yami immediately shimmered into a ghostly projection beside his   
Aibou; about to comment on the noise when he noticed that his Light   
did not seem to be in a very talkative mood this morning. Curious, the   
Darkness prodded his Yuugi, wondering why the small boy lay face-up   
curled into a fetal ball while rubbing his backside.   
"What are you doing, Yuugi?" Yami-Yuugi regarded his   
Aibou sideways, as to catch his other's attention. "And what is that   
awful sound?"  
  
Upon hearing that his Yami was within breathing distance,   
Yuugi cracked open a furrowed eye, face still wrinkled in pain. He   
gasped, trying to flip himself right side up and spare some dignity.   
"Bed. Fell of. By alarm" The smaller boy finally managed to wheeze   
out.   
  
Yami-Yuugi responded with a confused expression. Three-  
thousand years ago, sirens like these were used by task workers to   
represent an emergency. Obviously, times had changed by then. "So,   
you fell out of the bed and alerted the alarm?"  
  
Frustrated, Yuugi snapped his head to glare at his Yami only   
to recoil as a wave of nausea and pain ricocheted within his skull. The   
small boy winced, burrowing his head under his hands. "It hurts."  
  
Dark crimson eyes analyzed the small boy, and finally came to   
the conclusion that this was no joke. Concerned, Yami-Yuugi knelt   
down by his Aibou, prying the small boy's hands away from his head   
and staring directly at the teary violet eyes. "Yuugi. I want to you tell   
me where it hurts."  
  
Yuugi winced again, though this time recoiling to avert his   
gaze from the crimson eyes – eyes the colour of his most recent   
nightmare. A nightmare replacing the dreaming mind with dark reality.   
Whimpering, Yuugi weakly diverted his gaze.  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes flashed in anger as he noticed for the first   
time the small discoloured bruise against his Aibou's skin, the blemish   
swelling from the jaw-line to a good portion of the cheekbone. The   
Yami placed a firm hand on Yuugi, drawing the small boy closer and   
giving him a stern glare. "Tell me what happened."  
  
"N-nothing." Yuugi replied honestly. "I just had a bad   
nightmare."   
  
The Yami's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Nightmares do   
_not_ leave marks behind."  
  
Yuugi sighed. Maybe he should have never complained – it   
was causing too much trouble. And half of it, he couldn't even begin to   
understand. "I guess I fell off my bed and hurt myself a moment ago,"   
he shrugged, trying to look indifferent though every actions sent jolts of   
pain through his nerves.   
  
"Nice try." Yami-Yuugi folded his arms against his chest.   
"You fell on your _back_, and I have yet to see how a back injury can   
bruise your head." Upon seeing the smaller boy painfully bite his lip in   
resentment, the Yami immediately cursed himself for his blunt   
approach. "Look Yuugi, I'm sorry for biting at you. I know you're hurt   
and I want to know _why_. Who's hurting you?"  
  
"I don't know!" Yuugi cried out. "I honestly don't know! I   
was just some… some…"  
  
"Some?" Yami-Yuugi prodded. The Yami waited for his   
Aibou to form an answer when a sparkle of flashing metal roused his   
sight. He strode towards the blanketed bed, and threw away the covers   
to reveal not one but three golden relics. The Yami's eyes widened, and   
he took a step back to steady himself. "Yuugi," Yami-Yuugi's voice   
came in a tone filled with fear and awe, "Where did you get these   
items?"  
  
"I tried telling you!" The smaller boy finally vented his   
frustration. "All I remember is _dreaming_ of these items. In fact, I   
don't even remember clearly what happened in the dream, except that   
there were two people, brother and sister."  
  
"Dreams of reality?" Yami-Yuugi closed his eyes, a tingle of   
familiarity rushing through the once-Pharoah's ancient memories as he   
touched the golden items, each one resonating slightly as they   
recognized his presence. "Let me guess their names. The one with the   
Tauk is Isis, and the one with the Rod was Malik."  
  
Yuugi nodded, deciding to leave the last part of his dream out.   
He was afraid of what he had seen, and even more scared of what might   
happen. Worst of all, there was Anzu.  
  
"They are all Millennium Items, just like the Puzzle." Yami-  
Yuugi explained, unaware of his Aibou's tension. "There was an   
ancient legend which spoke of these items for 'whoever shall get all 7   
items shall possess power unimaginable'. Of course, this has never   
happened, as each Millennium Item wielder has always veered away   
from the other. Well, save the Ring." Here, Yami-Yuugi gave a faint   
grimace. He sighed, rubbing his temples, though he was no more  
than an apparition at the moment. "There is something we are missing,   
linked with the Items, Magic, and of course the Game."  
  
Yuugi did not reply but curled his knees against his chest,   
tucking his chin in to diminish his already small frame. "I don't   
understand why I have to be involved in this. I'm just a nothing!"  
  
"Never say that." Yami-Yuugi slid behind his other, hands   
softly clasping the smaller boy's shoulders. "Without the Light there is   
no Darkness. And without your strength, I would have never appeared."  
  
"And none of this would have happened!" Yuugi shot back   
angrily, hiccuping slightly though he continued to sob silently. "You   
just don't want to say that it's all _my_ fault!"  
  
"Why?" Yami-Yuugi questioned. "Why would it be your   
fault?"  
  
"Because of me, they're all dead. Ryou, and now Anzu.   
Everyone's going to die." Despite Yami-Yuugi's attempt, the smaller   
boy was only walling deeper into self-pity.   
  
Yami-Yuugi raised a silent eyebrow in confusion. He had yet   
to figure out how this friend of Yuugi's had died. The Yami clenched his fist   
into a tight ball, hand shaking angrily. Someone had purposely set his   
Aibou up, knowing that sooner or later Yuugi would break and fall like   
shattered glass. The Yami's accusing finger immediately pointed   
towards the Authority. And the Authority was doing a clever job,   
covering his Aibou's accidents through "dreams", or what his Aibou   
has originally claimed to be nightmares. Clever, since the Yami would   
have never suspected the powerful innocence held within dreams. Until   
now.   
  
"Yuugi?" The Yami smiled encouragingly at his other, though   
his stomach felt poisoned with lead weights. "The dreams are not real.   
They were never real."  
  
Startled, Yuugi looked towards his other. "B-but… if they   
were not real, where did these items come from?" Here, the small boy   
gestured towards the Millennium Items resting on the bed.   
  
"The Millennium items do not distinguish between   
imagination and reality. They used your friend Anzu as a test to prove   
your worth."  
  
"A test?" Yuugi's tone rose on the last word. "Anzu was a   
test? My _best friend_ was an inconvenience?"  
  
"Everyone is." Yami-Yuugi replied. "We are all just a   
stepping stone to the next point, and must fulfill our purposes." The   
Yami paused, deciding to change his approach. "Do you know where   
we are, Yuugi?"  
  
The small boy shook his head, though he automatically   
cringed at the strain from his protesting muscles and aches. His head   
continued to spin, and spots were splattering his once-perfect vision.   
  
"This place is called "Club 0013". They are the challengers to   
the Authority. In actuality, they have no chance, but they still try. They   
try because they remember people like Anzu and Ryou, who have   
fallen under the hands of the Authority." Yami-Yuugi laid one   
comforting hand on his Aibou's head, calling upon a Healing Spell to   
soothe the small boy's pain and help him relax. "Just because they are   
dead, does not mean they are gone. They have simply moved on to a   
happier life. Do not be selfish and mourn them for they are happy and   
have learned. If it weren't for you, Yuugi, they would have never   
understood love, or kindness, or sincerity at their dying point."  
  
Yuugi could not help but feel his muscles grow numb and   
relax, the pain gratefully diminishing until everything took a drowsy   
air. The small boy instinctively cuddled close to his Yami, the   
confidence and power within his other's chest reassuring him.   
"Mmm… thank you, Yami." He whispered; mind relaxing until it was   
completely sedated. Before he drifted off to complete sleep, the small   
boy gave a wavering smile. "Although I can't understand everything   
you say, I trust you, so I think that's all that matters."  
  
Yami-Yuugi could only hold his other within his arms.  
The Yami gazed fondly at the small boy, settling him gently onto   
the bed. The other Millennium Items had been carefully stowed into his   
Soul Room for further examination. While the Yami paced around his   
Aibou's bed in deep thought, only one true question crossed his mind.   
Did he really deserve all that trust? It was not a question – the Yami   
knew he didn't. Yet, how could he refuse another who relied so heavily   
on him?   
  
Yami-Yuugi sighed, again leaning his head against the cool glass. It   
was the late morning outside, the strange siren within the compounds   
having died several seconds before Yuugi had drifted off to sleep. The   
Yami knew he would have to tell the truth to the small boy one day. He   
also knew that procrastination made things worse. The Darkness   
angrily pounded a fist against the glass. A smooth hand glided of the   
unyielding surface, the sun reflecting the beauty of the images outside the   
barrier. And Yami-Yuugi watched the children play outside on the   
grassy fields, watching them until he broke into silent laughter. A silent   
grimace.   
  
*****************************************  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Seto Kaiba says:  
  
Kaiba: Shut up. I don't need to say any morals. I'm a billionaire and I   
don't need to get paid for this, so I should be exempt from your inferior   
author add-ins.   
  
Zoo: You're acting painfully stereotypical, you know?  
  
Kaiba: *Starts crying* I'm sorry! I try really hard, but they keep on   
saying I'm too nice for the character I was supposed to portray! Now   
everybody hates me! *sniffles and clings on to Zoo*   
What do you think I should do? *bats eyelashes cutely*  
  
Zoo: o.O;;; GYAAAA!!!!!!! *runs out of room screaming at top of her  
lungs.*  
  
Kaiba: Heheheh.. works every time ^^V. How else did you think I got   
to be the CEO?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`~  
******************************************  
  
End notes:  
  
*sighs* You know you're weird when your friends ask about you and   
your conversations with your "imaginary selves" and with "locker   
number 135" on your birthday cards.   
  
Eevee muse: Is that why you're still having trouble deciding between   
world destruction and domination?  
  
Zoo: Nah. *flips a coin*   
  
Eevee muse: *sighs and rubs temples* I am a bonsai tree… I am a   
bonsai tree…  
  
Zoo: Uhm.. what happens when the coin lands on the side? *thinks for   
a moment* Ooh! Excellent! I shall destroy the world and then rule it!  
  
Eevee muse: -_+;  
  
Thought of the day: Am I real or is reality a part of my imagination?  
  
Next time:   
- Can Kaiba actually work with the Game King?  
- Magic, Millennium Items, and Cards - Oh My! (sorry, couldn't   
resist) 


	11. The Heart of the Cards (Part 1)

Author's notes:  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. *gasp*  
  
Oh yeah, I wanted to thank Madame Ruby (she said the last chapter was   
too short, so this one is SUPER LONG) and Fiery Charizard for informing   
me that Isis's Millennium Item is a TAUK and not a Scale. ^^() Zoo-chan   
feels honoured to have such wonderful fanfic writers leaving opinions and   
lending a helping hand! Domo arigatou!  
  
Oddly enough, I had BishieStalker's commentary in mind, and decided to   
prove that fluffiness can also equal an "R" rating by writing up this   
chappy. *waves* Hi Bishie-chan!!  
  
**********************************************  
  
".. For the world, which seems,   
To lie before us like a land of dreams..."  
- Matthew Arnold, "Dover Beach"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Chapter 11 - Normal and Special Summons  
  
"Beautiful"  
  
That was all he could say as he gazed at his reflection. The silver-  
haired man straightened his red jacket, rubbing each shiny golden button   
with a handkerchief. He admired himself in the mirror for a few more   
minutes before tossing a clump of long silvery bangs over his golden eye.   
His beautiful golden eye.   
  
The blonde-haired woman lying half-asleep in her cage stirred as   
he moved close to her. She did not dare to move as he opened the cage. A   
calm hand stroked her fine golden hair, trailing a finger down her white-  
gowned tresses. And she remained mute as he closed the cage, falling half-  
heartedly to the floor when he left.   
  
And this was all very beautiful.   
  
*********************************************  
  
Yuugi rubbed his eyes sleepily as he woke. The afternoon sun   
shone soothingly on his blankets, creating a bubble of warmth.   
Immediately, the small boy looked around, trying to find his Yami.   
  
/Yami?/ Came the tentative question, though he got no reply.   
Slightly worried, the boy searched his room, obviously absent of   
another occupant. Only then did Yuugi notice that the window was open,   
the curtains billowing against a gentle breeze.   
  
Yuugi curiously extended his entire head and upper body outside   
the window-frame, catching an awesome view of a grass-laden field   
below. The boy craned his head in all directions, leaving no glimpse   
unappreciated. A sparkle of fresh green grass, a twitter of birdsong, the   
rustling of ancient trees - they were all equally important. A tinge of   
sadness spread through the boy's thoughts; thoughts that yearned to   
appreciate what others took for granted. And yet, they were just...   
thoughts.   
  
"Enjoying the view?"  
  
Yuugi snapped his head back in surprise as he heard his Yami's   
voice, managing to bang his shoulder against the windowframe. Wincing,   
the boy tried to pinpoint the source.   
  
"I'm directly below you." Came the helpful comment.   
  
Yuugi tilted his chin until it was level with his chest, and was   
startled to see the figure of his Yami directly below him. Yami-Yuugi was   
currently lying on his back against a thick panel of concrete protruding   
from the wall, hands resting under his head.   
  
"What are you doing?" A curious question sparked by the Yami's   
curious behaviour.   
  
Yami-Yuugi opened one crimson eye, the other one still lazily   
shut. "Thinking hard." Came the reply, stretched over a long drawl so that   
the Yami sounded half-asleep.   
  
Yuugi giggled before sobering. "How long have you been down   
there?"   
  
"Before the beginning of time." Was the demure reply. Yami-  
Yuugi stretched his arms, opening his jaws in a yawn and revealing twin   
glistening fangs accented by a scarlet tongue. "Too much in so little time."   
He muttered to himself, before finally opening the second eye and gazing   
directly at his Aibou.   
  
"Um." Yuugi hastily averted his eyes, suddenly shy. "Are you   
going to come back up here, or can I close the window and leave you   
there?" The last part was simply a teaser - Yuugi would never do anything   
spiteful against his other. Not that the small boy had a spiteful bone in his   
body in the first place.   
  
Immediately, the Yami twisted his body, shifting positions so that   
he stood in a half-crouch. With a powerful thrust of his feet and leg   
muscles, the Yami soared in mid-air, arcing his back so that he shot   
through the targeted window like a perfect trajectory. Yami-Yuugi landed   
noiselessly against the carpeted floor, turning around to give his other a   
playful wink. "How's that?"  
  
Yuugi responded with a mocking scowl. "You... you show off!"  
  
The Yami puffed out his chest in an exaggerated fashion, strutting   
around the vicinity of the room while keeping his expression comically   
aloof. "Yes, I _am_ very good, aren't I?"  
  
The Yami did not notice the neon light spelling "BAKA" in big   
letters behind him until too late.   
  
*******************************************  
  
Jounochi was in paradise. He was currently sitting cross-legged   
against a gigantic throne, a table of delicacies spread out as far as the eye   
could see. Aromatic flowers wafted and mingled with the tropical breezes   
while elegant women lay on either side of him, giggling as they served the   
blonde.   
  
Unfortunately, every single picturesque moment of beauty and   
splendor was roughly shattered by three piercing bangs. Snorting, Jounochi   
woke from his dream, glaring at his door when another set of impatient   
raps preceded the first. The blonde-haired boy muttered about the   
unfairness of life as he slowly crawled out of bed, roughly yanking his   
bedroom door open.   
"Whaddya want?" His slurred voice only emphasized his bout of   
grogginess.   
  
Seto Kaiba could not help but blink as he stared at Jounochi,   
currently leaning against the door-frame complete with mussed up blonde-  
hair and puppy-dog patterned pajamas. The techo-magician quickly stifled   
his laughter to gaze arrogantly at the other boy. "I need to ask you a quick   
question."  
  
Jounochi blinked. He opened his mouth, though it didn't work   
until seconds later. "You came all the way her to ask _me_ a question?"   
The boy snickered, "And for a moment there, I wasn't sure if you even   
knew I existed."  
  
"Cut the theatrics," Kaiba interrupted, "I just want to know about   
several people who have suddenly been erased from the main Authority   
database in the residents section." The brown-haired boy unfolded a piece   
of paper in his hand, scanning the neat writing. "They all disappeared   
about the same time you did, and I was wondering if you recognized any   
of them."  
  
"Why would anything I know matter?" Jounochi scratched his   
head. "As you said - it's not like I'm important or anything."  
  
The techno-magician gritted his teeth, exercising his waning   
patience. "Right now, I have no clue if these people even _exist_. If they   
do and if you know them, then we can at least track what the Authority   
might be up to. I know that people don't just 'disappear' for fun, when it   
comes down to a power such as the Authority."  
  
"Okay, lemme see." The blonde-haired boy grabbed the   
parchment from Kaiba, reading the neatly scrawled printing. His eyes   
widened at the name of each person. "Anzu Mazaki, Honda Hiroto, ... I   
know these people! They're my friends!"  
  
Satisfied, Kaiba nodded. "Good, can you tell me anything about   
them?"  
  
Jounochi shrugged. "I don't know. They all got captured roughly   
a few days after Yuugi disappeared." he confessed.   
  
Sensing a potential clue, Kaiba prodded further. "This Yuugi kid   
- who is he?"  
  
"Yuugi?" Jounochi repeated, slightly surprised. The blonde-  
haired boy remembered their trek in the Authority, sadly closing his eyes.   
"He's a nice kid, but I think the Authority has him; if he isn't dead, that   
is."  
  
"I see," Came the immediate reply, "Is there anything _special_   
about this Yuugi friend of yours?"  
  
"Special?" Jounochi repeated. "Not too much. He's kinda-"  
  
Kaiba barely managed to jump to one side as the door adjacent to   
Jounochi's room literally fell on top of him. The techno-magician   
blindly glared at whomever had opened the door before turning around to   
the blonde-haired boy again to listen for his interrupted response.   
  
Jounochi, however, was now staring at whomever had opened the   
door. "You wanted to know who Yuugi was?" His voice came out in a   
choked squeak and the blonde simply pointed behind Kaiba. "He's right   
over there."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Yuugi hastily dodged a flying pillow, and quickly sought for the   
door, hoping to escape his maniac Yami.  
  
However, Yami-Yuugi was not one who easily gave up on his   
prey, and the Darkness jumped right at his other, momentum pinning the   
smaller boy against the door while causing it to break from its   
hinges and collapse. Yami-Yuugi grinned as he examined the boy now   
lying underneath him, watching Yuugi suppress giggles and struggle half-  
heartedly. The Yami was about to comment about how easily the door had   
given in when someone - a someone that was _not_ his Aibou -   
interrupted his moment.   
  
"He's right over there."  
  
Yuugi, still lying face up against the fallen door, peered up in   
surprise at the sound of the voice. His eyes immediately fell upon the   
upside-down image of Jounochi, and someone else. Torn between   
astonishment and embarrassment, the smaller boy gave a slight wave with   
his free hand. "Uh... hi Jounochi?"  
  
And Mutou Yuugi's trustworthy friend Jounochi abruptly fainted.   
  
*************************************  
  
It had taken a couple of hours before Kaiba and Yami-Yuugi had   
stopped glaring at each other, and that was only because Jounochi had   
finally awoken to demand what was going on. Frankly, Yuugi was   
mystified by his Yami's hostility towards Kaiba, since the other seemed   
neither threatening nor malevolent.   
  
"Okay, let me get this straight." Jounochi rubbed his throbbing   
temples after the long synopsis. "This Yuugi look-alike here is actually an   
evil entity from the Ancient times called the Game King."  
  
"I am NOT evil!" Yami-Yuugi shot back, seething at the 'Seto   
Kaiba translation' of the entire tale.   
  
"Well," Yuugi added in, turning towards his Yami, "Your name   
does mean 'darkness', so isn't darkness associated with evil?"  
  
"Actually, darkness and evil are completely separate."   
Surprisingly enough, it was Kaiba who supported the argument. "Although   
darkness may be evil, its direct translation simply means, 'not pure'."  
  
"That's all fine and dandy," Jounochi interrupted, "But how does   
this all relate to what is going to happen? I mean, why are all these things   
happening?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi turned his serious crimson eyes straight at the   
blonde-haired boy, causing Jounochi to involuntarily shudder. "If I knew,   
Jounochi, I wouldn't be here.  
  
Kaiba was about to counter with a retort when his voice was   
suddenly drowned out by a screeching alarm. The sound ripped across the   
corridors, echoing a warning in its shrill cry. The techno-magician   
immediately began a scan of the vicinity, virtual memory filing a   
holographic layout of the entire of facility within his mind. A blue dot near   
the upper corridors of the diagram represented where he was currently   
situated, and a green dot located the others beside him. However, at the   
base of the building lay a rapidly flashing red dot. Kaiba filed   
a closer scan on the red dot, a long sequence of formulae responding in   
analysis.   
  
Moments later, the screeching alarm came to a sudden halt. Yet, a   
tension still remained in the air, throbbing with insecurity.   
  
"Danger." Kaiba grimaced, voice low and foreboding. "I guess   
the Authority has finally found us."   
  
Yuugi winced as the earsplitting noise of shattering glass broke   
the moment of tension. Muffled footsteps followed the sound of flying   
shrapnel, thudding mechanically against the floor.   
  
Kaiba quickly stood up, eyes narrowing as he scanned for an exit.   
"We got to move fast!" He hissed, "They've got the entire area   
surrounded!" The consecutive number of red dots on his virtual diagram   
continued expanding. Without another word, the techno-magician broke   
into a run.   
  
"Wait!" Jounochi cried, stumbling upon his legs to catch up to the   
others, "How do we know which way to go?"  
  
"Just follow me." Came the grim reply, "Although, if we don't   
hurry, _all_ the exits are going to be blocked."  
  
"Which exit is the least likely to be used?" Yami-Yuugi   
questioned, having had his Aibou return to his Soul Room for safety.   
  
Kaiba gave the Game King a baleful stare before responding.   
"Coordinates 45 -B, 72 - G, if that helps." Came the sardonic reply.   
  
Yami-Yuugi bristled at the techo-magician's mocking response.   
However, he wisely kept his mouth shut, another way to prevent himself   
from losing his temper.   
  
The trio banked a sharp right, dashing up a set of stairs before   
meeting an emergency exit. Kaiba instantly slammed his side against the   
door, trying to dislodge the exit. The brown-haired boy grunted when his   
body simply met a firm resistance.   
  
Yami-Yuugi was about to shove the taller boy aside when he   
heard footsteps marching from the bottom of the staircase, echoing and   
growing as they approached the trio. "Forget it." The Yami hissed to   
Kaiba, signaling for Jounochi to retreat.   
  
Upon finally concluding that the door simply would _not_ budge,   
Kaiba followed the other two, though he scanned his virtual map as a   
reference guide. The boys continued to run up the stairs, desperately   
searching the walls for any exit. Jounochi, having neither the Magic nor the   
technology to keep up with the other two, faltered behind, eventually   
coming to an exhausted halt.   
  
Yami-Yuugi immediately stopped, turning back to the blonde-  
haired boy. "Come on Jounochi," He growled, pursuit heightening his   
impatience, "Just keep on running."  
  
The blonde-haired boy shook his head. "I don't think I can last   
any longer."  
  
"That's because you're just a cowardly bitch." Kaiba's harsh   
whisper echoed slightly against the walls, each word vicious and stinging.   
"You're just a useless pile of crap which we were too kind to abandon   
though-"  
  
"Shut the hell up!" Hissed Jounochi, clenching his fists angrily as his   
cheeks burned in rage. "I am _not_ worthless!" The blonde-haired boy   
forced himself to his feet, rage and a need to salvage his dignity fueling his   
energy.   
  
And though Kaiba said nothing after the exchange, Yami-Yuugi   
had to admit that there was definitely more to the techo-magician than the   
eye could guess.   
  
Finally, the trio came to a sudden halt at the end of the stairs,   
revealing a deserted room on the upper-most floor, like the attic of a tower.   
The door yielded open almost too easily, creating a prickling air of   
foreboding within the dark atmosphere. Jounochi jumped as the door   
behind the trio suddenly slammed shut when they entered; too afraid to test   
whether or not said door was locked.   
  
Yami-Yuugi invoked a rapid Light spell, allowing all three of   
them to see to some extent their surroundings. The walls simply reflected   
the light back with blank faces of pale grey. Everything else remained   
shrouded in mystery, shadows sometimes shifting or moving at awkward   
angles when the trio continued their trek.   
  
Kaiba stopped, his path blocked by yet another door. The   
brown-haired boy brushed experimental fingers over the wooden surface   
before trying the doorknob. Naturally, it was locked. Unpreturbed, the   
techo-magician smashed a fist straight against the wood, the door bending   
and yielding a small splintered hole. With a satisfied grunt, Kaiba slammed   
his entire body against the bent door, forcing the firm wood to be neatly   
yanked from its hinges.   
  
Upon seeing a cleared entrance, Yami-Yuugi quickly followed   
Kaiba into the room. The Darkness turned around to analyze the situation   
when he suddenly found himself wrapped neck down in long, fibrous   
cords. Snarling, the Yami thrashed against the cords, though he was easily   
restrained. Yami-Yuugi then changed tactics, Sennen Eye glowing as he   
began chanting a high-level Fire Spell.   
  
"Not so fast."   
  
Another cord whipped through the air, wrapping itself around the   
Yami's frail neck. The rope instantly tightened to cut off the Yami's   
concentration. Choked gasps escaped from Yami-Yuugi's lips, though his   
eyes silently glared at the invisible opponent. He continued to valiantly   
ignore the strain of ropes against his form, eyes clouding over slightly   
from lack of oxygen. Finally, the rope relaxed enough to form a loose   
noose around the Yami's neck while letting him once again inhale deep   
gulps of air.   
  
"What's the matter, Game King?" The voice was clearly   
masculine, taunting and maliciously gleeful. "Losing your edge?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi snarled and struggled against his cords. "Bastard!"   
He screamed, viciously intent on revenge, "Let me go, and I'll whip your   
pathetic ass!"  
  
"Language, language." Chided the same voice. "I never knew that   
the Game King had degraded so much as to so use such inefficient   
vocabulary."  
  
The Yami responded by repeating every single profane word ever   
created, careful to spit out each syllable like toxin. He was rewarded by a   
sudden stinging slap across his face.   
  
"Shut up! Shut up!" The voice cried, furious at being ignored.   
  
Meanwhile, Kaiba watched the entire conversation with a grim   
amusement, his mind furiously trying to unscramble the mystery behind   
the shrouded person.   
  
"Is that the best you've got?" Yami-Yuugi challenged, confident   
smirk on his face. "I guess that's what you get when you snivel behind the   
Authority, picking up the leftover scraps."  
  
The Yami barely even flinched as another set of ropes lashed   
against his exposed shoulders, drawing crimson lines across his fair skin.   
"I could kill you at any moment!" The voice threatened, now an   
agitated rumble.   
  
Yami-Yuugi barked out a harsh laugh. "Ha! Only cowards   
like you hide in the shadows, to scared to attack face to face."  
  
The voice screeched furiously, forcing several consecutive   
beatings with a blood-stained rope. And despite his massive injuries, the   
Yami still grinned luridly, fangs glistening in contrast to his bright crimson   
eyes. He brought his head against his shoulder, which had split open into a   
scarlet mess, lapping up his own blood.   
"What's the matter?" The Yami taunted. "Too tired to abuse me?"  
  
"What the hell is he doing?" Jounochi hissed at Kaiba, clearly   
pointing at the injured Yami, "He acts like he enjoys all of this torture!"  
  
Kaiba, who had long seen the outcome of the Game King's antics,   
only shrugged. "Just watch and you'll see."  
  
Yami-Yuugi ignored the same conversation he was having with   
his Aibou at the moment, sending a brief pulse of reassurance. His right   
eye was swollen shut, a bloody line scarring his face from the brow to his   
chin. Several other gashes ran parallel down his face and neck, dripping   
like thick water down his skin and onto the carpeted floor. Despite all this,   
he continued his taunts. "You can't kill me because your boss has you tied   
by the collar."  
  
"I am not a pawn of my boss!" The voice screeched. "I am not   
anyone's slave, though _you_ will beg for my pity."  
  
Yami-Yuugi grinned. "Too late."  
  
Before another rope could react to the Yami's taunt, everything   
around him lit up in a burst of brilliant crimson flames. Though Yami-  
Yuugi himself was unscathed, the ropes writhed and shriveled under the   
intense head, fading into fine ashes. The glowing Sennen Eye faded from   
the Yami's forehead as he stared straight into the piercing darkness,   
walking a few steps to confirm his freedom.   
  
Immediately, another network of ropes sprung from the shrouded   
floor, whistling and echoing in warning. The Yami reacted by jumping into   
the air, eyes catching a full view of each rope as they whipped against the   
ground to reach him. Again, the Yami called upon another burst of flame,   
grateful for having stalled so much time to set up and complete his Magic   
Spell. The ropes recoiled and collapsed into dust while another set took   
their place to leap into action and only be met by the same outcome.   
Finally, they paused.   
  
"It looks like we have a stalemate." The voice proclaimed,   
suddenly sickly-sweet. "How about deciding the outcome in a face-to-face   
Duel Monsters match, _without_ the use of the Shadow Realm? After all,  
this Game should still give an equal outcome."  
  
Yami-Yuugi knew the man was lying, able the sense the deceit   
cleverly hidden in the person's voice. To summon monsters outside the   
Shadow Realm was potentially dangerous, though the monster's   
individuality would ensure no physical damage to its summoner.   
"Fine," He declared, hoping against his odds, "I accept your Game, and   
if I win, you shall suffer the Punishment."  
  
"Of course," Came the too complaint reply, chuckling sinisterly,   
"I wouldn't expect anything else from the Game King himself."  
  
"Stop the senseless flatter and show yourself!" The Yami   
demanded, Puzzle glowing in reaction to his frustration and hostility.   
Flames flared and flickered in a circle around him like his metaphorical   
anger.  
  
The shadows immediately retreated until they revealed a squat   
man in green robes. Above his hawk-like nose lay a single tattoo written in   
an ancient rune, only too obvious against his completely bald head.   
"Let me introduce myself. I am called Para." Said squat man gave   
a mock bow.   
  
"You know who I am." Yami-Yuugi responded, taking out his   
Aibou's deck of cards; now symbolically his. "Let's begin this Duel."  
  
Both opponents faced each other; set with neither prop nor   
organized dueling field save the middle of the empty room. Yami-Yuugi   
examined each card in his hand, carefully devising a plan.   
  
"Wait!" Para exclaimed, much in the tone of when someone   
suddenly notices a flaw. "I cannot use Magic so I should receive some  
sort of consolation!" He chuckled as the Yami gave a grunt of consent. "So my   
brother Dox will help me even out the odds!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened. "Two players against one?" He   
stated, "Even if Magic may enhance a monster's effects, the stakes  
of me winning against twice the usual is slim."  
  
"Too bad." Para exclaimed, as a mirror image of himself, only   
with red robes and a different lettering on his head stepped into the open   
space. "You already consented so you must play."  
  
"And play we shall." Rephrased the other, his face set into an   
identical gleeful grin.  
  
Gritting his teeth, Yami-Yuugi made his initial move. "I choose   
to play a card in face-down defense mode."  
  
"Subversive techniques." Para remarked.  
  
"But can you hide from our power?" Oddly enough, Dox knew   
exactly what his brother said, making the first move between the pair. "I   
call upon my Judge Man to destroy your face-down card!"   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened in surprise as the card shimmered into   
reality the moment Dox placed it on his makeshift field, the "illusion"   
obliterating the Yami's own Magic-supported card. Yet, he could sense no   
Magic in the now very-alive monster.   
  
Kaiba, too, noticed this strange technique, though his mind began   
to suspect a ploy. The Game King was now playing at a disadvantage. Setting   
his grudges aside, the brown-haired boy began formulating a plan. He   
reasoned that if the Game King lost, then he too would be eventually   
destroyed; though he knew it was something else that motivated him. A   
pity he had never understood the concept of compassion.   
  
The Yami grimaced as his Mammoth Graveyard fell from the   
attack. Undiscouraged, he drew his next card, instantly placing   
it onto the field. "I call upon the Summoned Skull in attack mode   
to destroy your Judge Man!"   
  
And yet, when the gigantic gargantuan of a creature, brought to   
momentarily life by Magic, sought to swipe at its opponent with its claws,   
it grappled with nothing but empty air. The Judge Man still stood as it had   
been before, undisturbed by the vicious onslaught.   
  
"What the hell?" Yami-Yuugi barely restrained his indignant   
rage. "The Summoned Skull should have enough attack points to easily   
destroy your Judge Man and deplete your life points!"  
  
"Who ever said that the Game would be so easy?" Para purred,   
eyes flashing in malicious delight.   
  
Dox copied ever antic of his brother. "For we now have the upper   
hand, and you cannot possibly overcome us!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi clenched his fists angrily. How could he possibly   
win against something that he could not attack? The Yami tried for a   
different strategy. "I play a Magic card face down to end my turn."  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi turned around to see Kaiba, untied and holding two   
strange circular objects in his hand. The techo-magician flung one of them   
like a discus so that it landed straight in the Yami's arms. "The Para-Dox   
brothers are playing dirty trick. They are using technology capable of   
negating Magic. However, the monsters themselves are only holographic   
images, therefore unable to be damaged."  
  
Yami-Yuugi glared at the twins with hate-filled eyes. He gave   
Kaiba a nod of thanks, holding the circular object in his hand. "What is   
this for then?"  
  
"I'm getting there," Was the techo- magician's reply. "These are   
my own Dueling Disks, able to simulate real-live monsters like   
how you use your Magic. Since they use the same electronic pulses that all   
holographs use, their holographic effects will override the holographs of   
the opponents' cards, allowing us to destroy them properly."  
  
"Us?" Yami-Yuugi raised an eyebrow.  
  
Kaiba gave the Game King a blatant look. "As much as I would   
like to see that cocky grin wiped off from your face, I figured you would   
need my help." The brown-haired boy set up his own Dueling Disk so that   
it slid like a glove on his wrist. "Now, let's play properly!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi nodded as he mirrored the techo-magician's actions,   
inserting his desk into the recognition slot. "Thank you, Seto."  
  
Seto Kaiba ignored the fact that the Game King had deliberately   
used his first name instead of the formal, though a slight abashed flush did   
spread across his cheeks before it was replaced by a customary frown.   
"Whatever," Kaiba muttered gruffly, "I'm only doing you this favour to   
get me out."  
  
"Are you going to sit here and talk all day?" Para fumed, angry   
that his secret had been so easily discovered and defeated.   
  
"Even with your new insight, you still cannot defeat us." Dox   
completed right afterwards.  
  
Kaiba grinned as he placed himself beside the Yami. "Want a   
bet?" The techo-magician inserted his chosen card into a slot, detaching a   
flat circular component from the main glove and flinging it onto the floor   
so that it shimmered into technology-formatted life. "My card is the   
Mystical Elf in defense plus a magic card face-down to end my turn."  
  
Para frowned and picked up his next card, lips suddenly curving   
into a smile as he saw the card. However, he did not automatically play it,   
but treasured it in his hand, taking out another card instead. "I shall play   
this card defensively too."  
  
"And I shall attack the Mystical Elf with my Judge Man!"   
Completed the other brother, watching with a satisfied grin when the   
his stocky warrior felled the frail elf with a sweep of its   
battleaxe.   
  
Kaiba grunted as he felt some of the attack whiplash back into his   
system, much like the effects of a Shadow Realm duel.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's quick eyes noticed the impact of the attack, wisely   
keeping quiet. "For my turn, I discard Kuriboh and attack your Judge Man   
with my Summoned Skull." True enough, the squat dwarf-like creature   
was immediately destroyed by a single blast of the Game King's card.   
  
Kaiba carefully placed his next card, trying to avoid personal   
damage. "I play a card in defense mode." His carefully masked face hid   
the weakness of the current cards in his hand.   
  
"I choose the Wicked Worm Beast to attack your defensive   
card!" Cried Para, while Dox simply played another face-down card, much   
to Yami-Yuugi's growing suspicion as two holographic caskets replaced   
the 'special' cards played.   
  
A gigantic slug-like creature dived towards Kaiba's face-down   
card, though it was suddenly deflected by an invisible barrier. Yami sighed   
in satisfaction, noticing the release in tension from his 'partner's' taut face.   
  
"What?" Para shouted, voice outraged. "How come there was no   
effect?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi could not help but give his trademark smirk. "I   
sacrificed my Kuriboh, which allows me to use a special effect of   
protecting one card on the field. And so, it protected Kaiba's face down   
card."  
  
Kaiba suddenly covered his relief with a scowl. "I don't need   
your help!" He hissed, voice clipped with humility.  
  
"It's as you said." Came Yami-Yuugi's smooth reply. "I'm not   
helping you. I'm helping myself win the Game."  
  
A sudden low rumble cut off any further conversation. Yami-Yuugi's   
eyes widened, feet planted apart to support himself as the entire room   
began to shake. Cracks were beginning to seep against the sides of   
the walls, some the ceiling showering the duelists with loose debris.   
  
Para and Dox suddenly exchanged glances, and began to roar in   
mutual laughter. They continued to laugh even when the room trembled  
again.   
  
Yami-Yuugi glared at the two opponents. "I don't see what's so   
funny." He stated, hiding his panic. "What's going on?" Kaiba, too, had   
no clue, and was now glancing uncertainly at the crevices and loose shingles   
accumulating on the walls and floors.   
  
"You see." Para added, still laughing. "While you were distracted   
dueling us, the others have begun tearing down the lowest floor.   
That means that when the time runs out, everything will collapse,   
including you!"  
  
"And since you cannot escape this Duel, you will die even if you   
win this match!" Dox continued.   
  
"Damn bastards," Kaiba spat, voice dripping with venom, "Don't   
you even care about your own lives?"  
  
"Lives?" Para and Dox laughed. "You haven't figured it out, have   
you?"  
  
"Holograms." Kaiba quickly berated himself for his blindness.   
"Para and Dox are not even real people! Like the monsters they play, they   
are just simulated creatures in the form of real-life holograms."  
  
"We have to win fast." Yami-Yuugi furrowed his eyebrows in   
thought. "Otherwise, none of us is going to make it!" The Yami hastily   
chose his most powerful card, hoping to bring an end to the match. "I play   
the Dark Magician in attack mode!"  
  
"It's no use." Para grinned, setting his 'Master and Expert' in   
defense and laying a trap card face down, "We never agreed on life points,   
which means that the Game is virtually endless!"  
  
Kaiba pounded his fist against the cracking wall, creating a   
rapidly disintegrating dent. "They've got us trapped like rats in a cage.   
Either way, we're dead." The techno-magician closed his eyes, wondering   
if he would really miss living, after escaping death for all those years. He   
found no pity for himself. "I am not afraid to die, so continue your damned   
match for as long as you like!"  
  
Yami-Yuugi wanted to nod in consent, but secretly feared for his   
Aibou. Did youths like Jounochi and Yuugi really deserve to die, when   
they had never even experienced the prime of their youth?   
  
The room shook again, shafts of sunlight penetrating the cracks in   
the place of cement. Yami-Yuugi ignored the onslaught and drew his next   
card, hands tense. "I use the Dark Magician to attack Para's face down   
card."  
  
"Not so fast," Dox proclaimed, grinning, "I activate my trap card   
'Trap Hole', and it destroys any attacking monster with an attack above   
1000."  
  
Yami-Yuugi mentally cursed himself for the loss of foresight. He   
briefly wondered if it would be better to deliberately lose than to continue   
to play until death. Yet, lose, and then what? Be captured and killed by the   
Authority? The Yami sighed. No, losing was just delaying the inevitable.  
  
Kaiba still remained perfectly calm. He bent down to draw a card   
from his deck, eyes quickly sliding to the unconscious form of Jounochi.   
"I play the Blue Eyes White Dragon in attack mode." He watched   
as the machine amplified his favourite card, bringing the magnificent   
dragon into life. "Blue Eyes, use your Neutron Blast attack at the Master   
and Expert!"  
  
The dragon immediately complied, rearing upon its hind legs to   
utter a ground-screeching roar; a sphere of white lightning expanding   
between chrome jaws, spiraling outwards in a burst of blue and white   
electricity. The attack, simulated to every nuance of reality, shook the   
floors, lighting the room up in a brilliance of light and forcing the Para-dox   
brothers to shield their eyes from its intensity.   
  
Kaiba quickly turned to the Game King, speaking in an almost   
inaudible whisper. "We can't leave the duel, but the others can. You have   
to call upon a real monster so that they can escape."  
  
Yami-Yuugi wasn't sure what stunned him more - the fact that   
Kaiba was helping someone other than himself, or the fact that Kaiba was   
actually asking for his help. Deciding that such a change could only be   
advantageous, the Yami nodded, pulling a card from his hand. "Winged   
Dragon!"  
  
The blue-grey skinned dragon appeared, rotund jaw and large   
eyes a childish mimicry to the large Blue Eyes it hid behind. It gave a   
small chirp, cocking its head to one side to gaze obediently at its master.   
  
Yami-Yuugi took his Puzzle off, allowing the grey dragon to   
latch onto the rope. His form momentarily flickered and waned before re-  
solidifying, an identical Puzzle now around his neck. Yami-Yuugi laid a   
hand on the creature, patting its pebbly hide in reassurance before  
murmuring some instructions.   
  
When the effects of the attack had finally died, the untied,   
sleeping limp form of Jounochi could be seen on a creature's back, both   
rapidly disappearing into the azure sky. There was also a noticeable hole   
on the wall behind Kaiba; only explaining too evidently what had   
happened.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smiled gratefully at Kaiba before returning to face   
the Para-dox brothers in grim acceptance.   
//Good luck, Yuugi.//  
  
*****************************  
  
//Good luck, Yuugi.//  
  
The small boy heard it from his Soul Room, glancing at the   
subspace around him in confusion.   
  
/Yami?/ The boy tried, though he got no answer.   
  
/YAMI!/ Again, nothing.   
  
Yuugi stared blankly at the emptiness around him. Just a moment   
ago, his Yami had been dueling with Kaiba. But now, he could no longer   
sense his other's presence: the link had again been severed. He wanted to   
get out of his Soul Room and peer at his surroundings, though he found   
neither the courage nor motivation to do so.   
  
A groaning interrupted the boy's thoughts, the sound coming   
from outside his Soul Room. Yuugi immediately pinpointed the voice as   
Jounochi's, and deducting that it was safe enough, emerged from his   
sanctity within the Puzzle.   
  
Jounochi groaned, rubbing his sore neck. The ground underneath   
him suddenly lurched, a sickening sensation building within the blonde's   
stomach. Layers of wind whistled past his ears, making the boy blink in   
momentary confusion as he gazed about him. The confusion eventually   
changed to surprise and then fear.   
"Yi!" Screamed Jounochi, clinging on to whatever was flying for   
dear life. The boy chanced to glimpse at the canopy of forest below him.   
"I've lost it." He finally murmured, "I'm finally being brought to heaven   
for judgment."  
  
A giggle interrupted the blonde's laments. "Jounochi, we're   
flying."  
  
"Yuugi?" Jounochi chanced to turn around, catching a glimpse of   
the smaller boy. "What are you - I mean we - doing here."  
  
The smaller boy's expression immediately shifted to one of sorry,   
eyes downcast as he put one hand on the empty Puzzle. "I-I don't know,   
but I think Kaiba and my Yami are still in there."  
  
"Wher-" Suddenly, Jounochi realized exactly _what_ he was   
riding on. Large brown eyes widened to an incredible rate, the blonde   
paralyzed with fear. "Y-y-yuugi." He stuttered, pointing at the creature he   
was riding on with his free hand while still clinging on with the other.   
"We-we-."  
  
"Yes, I know." Yuugi beamed. "My Yami must have summoned   
it. Isn't he cute?"  
  
As if hearing the smaller boy's words, the Winged Dragon turned   
its pebbly head towards the smaller boy, giving a small chirp of agreement.   
  
Jounochi could not stop gaping. "I-" He began, before closing his   
mouth and trying again. "But it's a _card_!"  
  
"Well, it was a card. But my Yami used Magic to give it a real   
form and shape, summoning the monster into reality."  
  
"Magic," Jounochi muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "You   
know, if it weren't for the fact that I'm _riding_ on this thing, I would have   
thought you were bluffing."  
  
"Yeah," Yuugi's eyes clouded over in worry, "I just hope they're   
okay."  
  
Jounochi was about to offer the smaller boy some reassurance   
when a gigantic spherical projectile shot right above the two boys, startling   
them into silence. The blonde twisted his head to glance behind him,   
catching the sight of a rapidly growing speck.   
"Yuugi," His voice came in an quiet whisper, "I think we're   
being followed."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened as he too saw the shape, though it could   
now be identified as someone riding on an oddly-shaped winged beast.   
"That monster - it's a Tyhone card!"  
  
"What's a Tyhone?" Jounochi immediately queried, hands   
nervously clenched onto the loose skin of the Dragon.  
  
"It's a monster card that isn't particularly powerful," Yuugi   
began, "But it is capable of firing long-range projectiles with ease."  
  
"Man!" Jounochi screeched, eyes wide with fear, "We're gonna   
be shot out of the sky!"  
  
As if to confirm his fear, another projectile whizzed straight   
towards them, the Winged Dragon spiraling sideways seconds before   
impact. Already, the Tyhone was readying another blast, flapping its wings   
ungainly to cover distance and gain accuracy.  
  
Yuugi's eyes narrowed at the rider on the beast. "We've got to   
take the rider out first!" He cried, realizing with dismay that his Yami still   
had his deck. "But I can't just use Magic out of nothing!"  
  
"You can use Magic?" Jounochi regarded Yuugi with an   
expression of awe. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"What use would it make?" Yuugi replied, slightly bitter. "I only   
know a few Spells, and none of them are meant for long range attacks. If   
only I had a card that I could use my Magic on!"  
  
Jounochi winced as another projectile shot just by his ear. "Yuugi,   
my deck is in my right jacket pocket. I can't take it out right now, but   
maybe you can."  
  
The smaller boy nodded, shifting his weight precariously to one   
side of the Dragon. The dragon suddenly lurched upwards, Yuugi's entire   
body slamming against the creature's torso. He clung on to the pebbly skin   
for dear life while his legs dangled in empty air. Resisting the urge to look  
down, Yuugi gritted his teeth, straining against the wind and movement,   
his hold on the Dragon slipping bit by bit. With a final lunge, the boy   
grabbed Jounochi's dangling jacket, personally grateful that the Gods had  
decided for jackets to be long. Another thrust of his legs was all he   
needed to propel himself until his head was level with the pocket. Yuugi  
quickly withdrew the cards, giving a shout of triumph.  
  
A firm hand grasped the smaller boy's arm, pulling him slowly   
but surely onto the back of the dragon once more. Yuugi gave Jounochi a   
grateful sigh, collapsing with exhaustion. Another blast of too-close target   
practice reminded the boy of his actual task in-hand.   
"Jounochi, what flying cards do you have?" Yuugi questioned the   
blonde, clumsily flipping through the deck with one hand. Most of the   
cards he had gone through were all earth-type monsters.  
  
Jounochi gave a sheepish smile. "I-uh- don't think I have any ."  
  
Yuugi simply goggled. "No... flying cards?" Came his   
confirmation, indignation rising in his words.  
  
"Uh..." Jounochi bigsweated. "Sorry. None that I remember."  
  
"You must have something," Yuugi growled, a tone most unlike   
himself. Maybe it was because he had just sacrificed neck and limb to grab   
the deck. "If you don't, I'm going to catapult all your monsters one by one   
at the Tyhone, starting with the Flame Swordsman." Yuugi knew that   
said card was Jounochi's absolute favourite.   
  
"Don't do that!" Jounochi yelped. "Try... try the Time Wizard or   
something!"  
  
Yuugi glanced at the card mentioned. "You do realize that if the   
plan backfired, the Time Wizard would send us into a time warp, right?"   
His voice was deceptively calm.   
  
"Uhm, no?" The blonde squeaked, hunching his shoulders. "It's   
not like I know what the monsters would do in real life!"  
  
About to retort, Yuugi wisely shut up when something scraped   
the side of his face, drawing blood. He winced, bringing a hand to feel the   
warm liquid spreading across the stinging scrape. One more shot, and they   
would both die. Faced with no choice, Yuugi focused on his Magic,   
allowing the Puzzle to channel his focus and shift the Magic into a tangible   
command.   
  
"I choose the Rude-" Yuugi began, Magic half-infested into the   
now-glowing card when something else caught his eyes. The boy   
immediately canceled the energies, forcing them momentarily back into   
the Puzzle. "Jounochi, did you ever know that you have a Red Eyes Black   
Dragon in your deck?"  
  
"Uh, yeah." Jounochi nodded proudly to that fact, completely   
missing the irony. "I won it in a duel sometime ago. It's a pretty good   
card."  
  
"And Red Eyes is a _dragon_ right?" Yuugi prompted. He got   
another nod. "And dragons can fly, right?"  
  
Had Yuugi seen Jounochi's face, it would have reflected surprise   
and puzzlement. "They can?"  
  
Deciding that now was not the time to be arguing, Yuugi re-  
activated the Puzzle, Magic spreading over the chosen card. The card   
began to glow brilliantly before shifting into a plume of jet-black smoke,   
its only substantial characteristic being a pair of brilliant red eyes glowing   
against the darkness.   
  
"I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Yuugi called, a sudden   
dizziness overpowering his mind as the Puzzle began drawing tremendous   
amounts of energy from the boy to fulfill the required Magic.   
  
The dark cloud shifted and sucked itself together, some of it   
forming a thin head while others became the armour-plated chest, limbs   
and tail. Lastly was the pair of majestic ebony-black wings, spreading out   
in a magnificent curve to make the dragon twice as menacing.   
  
The creature roared, startling the smaller Winged Dragon and   
bringing the Tyhone into a near-dead stop. Without warning, the newly   
summoned card fired a stream of crimson fire straight into the sky.   
  
Yuugi gasped as he could literally feel every ounce of energy   
being drained from his body, the Magic trying to sustain the creature and   
execute its attacks. He tried to sever the link, though he was immediately   
refused by the Puzzle. Yuugi could have sworn that the Puzzle had taken a   
face of sentiency, sneering at the small boy for his weakness. His head   
began to throb uncontrollably, and he slumped forwards, resting his face   
on Jounochi's back.   
  
Jounochi turned around in surprise to see Yuugi struggling to   
keep awake. His eyes fell upon the Red Eyes, who was no longer attacking   
the long-gone Tyhone but rampaging through the sky. The black dragon   
gave another avian screech, emitting a blast of flame from its jaws, the fire   
mixing with the treetops and creating a wall of burning scarlet.   
"Can't you control 'im?" The blonde cried out, obviously   
referring to the Red Eyes.  
  
Yuugi weakly shook his head, soft tears collecting in his eyes. "I-  
I can't let go."  
  
"Let... go?" Jounochi asked in confusion. "Just call him back!   
The enemy's way gone."  
  
The smaller boy closed his eyes painfully, breathing becoming   
harsh and laboured. "The... Puzzle..." His voice fell short of a whisper,   
the boy suddenly falling into a catatonic state, simply gazing at Jounochi   
with half-closed eyes.   
  
The blonde gazed at Sennen Puzzle around Yuugi's neck, eyes   
widening in surprise when he noticed it glowing and throbbing with light.   
One look at the lurid Sennen eye in the center of the amulet was all   
Jounochi needed before lunging at the Puzzle and ripping it off Yuugi's   
neck.   
  
Immediately, Yuugi began gasping, one hand automatically grasping   
his throat as he choked up blood. The light crimson regurgitating from   
his mouth soon changed into a deep scarlet-black, rivulets of blood mingled with   
darker maroon clumps staining his soft blue clothing. And even then, Yuugi's   
condition plummeted, eyes now rolling uselessly to one side, filming over with   
a layer of cloudy white.   
  
Jounochi swore, pausing only a few more milliseconds before   
hastily slipping the Puzzle back over the smaller boy's neck. The small   
boy gratefully stopped choking as soon as the Puzzle was replaced   
though he once again fell into a deep coma.   
"Yuugi, wake up." Jounochi awkwardly shook the boy's   
shoulders, unsure of what to do. A dribble of blood fell from the corner of   
the smaller boy's mouth, dripping onto the blonde's white T-shirt.   
  
The Red Eyes Black Dragon continued to spiral aimlessly in the sky,   
a vision of massive carnage, leaving behind an ugly smouldering scar   
against the emerald-green forest canopy. Jounochi whimpered as the large   
dragon shot overhead, its midnight black belly just missing the diminished   
Winged Dragon.   
  
The normally docile blue-grey dragon suddenly shrieked a defiant   
cry, firing its own blast of orb-shaped flame at the larger dragon. Though   
the attack dissipated the moment it hit the armoured hide, the black dragon   
snapped its head in anger, burning red eyes gazing directly at its quarry.   
  
...Which happened to be the Winged Dragon, and anything riding   
on it. Jounochi groaned in fear when his ride shot like a bullet towards the   
Red Eyes. "Shit, we are so dead." One hand immediately clung to the   
looser skin while the other struggled to hold the unconscious Yuugi.   
  
Gratefully, the Red Eyes banked a sharp right, causing the smaller   
dragon to grapple with nothing but thin air. The Winged Dragon   
awkwardly flapped its wings, pivoting its head to switch angles. It fired   
another three blasts of fireballs, each one bouncing harmlessly off its   
opponent's hide. More annoyed than furious, the black-armoured dragon   
responded by spewing a brilliant streak of red flame in hopes of crushing   
the smaller dragon.   
  
Jounochi continued to curse as his ride shot upwards, spinning in   
a rapid spiral to escape the impact of the flames. He momentarily   
wondered if praying would help in situations like these.   
  
"Jounochi!"  
  
A cry. The blonde-haired boy pivoted his head towards the source of   
the sound, having deducted that it was definitely not Yuugi's. He instantly   
began waving his bloodstained hand. "I'm over here!"  
  
It was a wondrous sight: Kaiba and the Game King perched on   
the head of a pure-white dragon. The white dragon shot a challenging roar   
at the Red Eyes, momentarily startling both occupants.   
  
Yami-Yuugi drew another card. "Stay here, Kaiba, and don't   
attack until I say so. I'm going to try and get the others out of attack range   
first."  
  
Kaiba gave a curt nod, watching with amused sapphire eyes   
as the Yami summoned a Curse of Dragon in the blink of an eye. The   
Darkness quickly jumped on the back of the skeletal dragon, launching   
into the sky straight for Jounochi while amazingly keeping balance on both   
legs.   
  
Jounochi sighed in relief, making a mental note to pray to  
the Gods every day. He grinned when Yami-Yuugi sided his dragon beside  
the smaller Winged Dragon, immediately handing the Game King the   
unconscious form of Yuugi.   
  
Yami-Yuugi stared, disbelieving, at the wrecked sight of his   
Aibou. "What happened, Jounochi?"  
  
The blonde sighed. "You won't believe it. He summoned my Red   
Eyes, and it completely drained him of his energy."  
  
The Game King's eyes narrowed. "I'm just grateful he didn't die   
from it. Summoning such a powerful creature without practice is like   
juggling flamethrowers without any idea of what juggling is."  
  
Jounochi gave a low whistle. "Is there any way to stop 'im?" He   
pointed a thumb towards the Red Eyes, who was currently sizing up Kaiba's  
Blue Eyes White Dragon, both dragons warily circling each other.   
  
Yami-Yuugi suddenly lost his impassive composure as his fell  
upon the still-glowing Puzzle resting on Yuugi's chest. "Shit. If we directly   
destroy the Red Eyes, all the Magic being used by the creature will simply  
whiplash back at Yuugi with an overflow of energy."  
  
"What's so bad about that?" Jounochi questioned, not liking the   
sound of the Game King's tone.   
  
The Yami put a soft hand on his Aibou, brows wrinkling in   
frustration. "Yuugi would die. And if he died, then so would I. Even   
worse, any Magic I used would simply nullify itself, creating a   
negative amount of energy from any Magic I generated."  
  
"And that means?" Jounochi prompted, stomach falling into a   
tighter knot in each word.   
  
"That the Winged Dragon and Blue Eyes White Dragon would   
cease to exist, and all the Magic that they had used to be created with   
would pull anyone close to it into a dimension of nothingness." Yami-  
Yuugi matter-of-factly replied. He frowned, and upon seeing Jounochi's   
face bleached of colour, berated himself for his bluntness. "There might be   
one card that can pull through, but I'm afraid to use it."  
  
"Wh-why?" The blonde asked, ignoring the magnificent display   
of white and black dragon below him.   
  
Yami-Yuugi cursed when he saw the Red Eyes suddenly launch  
straight at its larger and bulkier quarry, ramming the Blue Eyes on   
the side. The white dragon bellowed in rage, rapidly flapping its wings to   
stay balanced while digging its sharp white teeth directly into the black   
dragon's soft flesh between the steel plates of the head and neck. The Red   
Eyes responded with a shriek of pain, lashing out with its claws in attempt   
to peel off its opponent's chrome hide. And on top of the Blue Eyes sat   
Kaiba, somewhere between petrified and awed, taut muscles forcing his   
fingers to cling onto the white dragon's head crest.   
  
"We're running out of time!" Yami-Yuugi hissed at Jounochi.   
"Let's go!"  
  
The blonde simply crossed his arms, a look of stubborn refusal on   
his face. "I want to know what the last option is."  
  
The Game King gave Jounochi an odd look before withdrawing   
yet another card. "This card. A trap card called the 'Horn of Heaven'. It is   
a Light Spell-type magic, which will nullify a single summoned monster -   
Magic, spells and all. That means that any whiplash effects will also   
be sucked and eliminated before it can strike its user."  
  
Jounochi began laughing, putting one hand on the Yami for   
support. "You have _this_ card with you, and you didn't tell me?" He   
finally said. "Gee, and you had me worried for such a long time!"  
  
However, Yami-Yuugi's face remained serious. "The problem   
with this card is that it requires one creature for sacrifice. And since we   
are not in a Duel right now, a 'creature' would mean anything living that is   
not created by Magic."   
  
"Wait," The gears in Jounchi's head suddenly began turning, the   
familiar pit of despair returning in his stomach. "_You_ can't be sacrificed,   
since you're fueling the Magic! Which means that..." His voice trailed off   
suddenly as he gazed at the distant Kaiba, still engaged in battle, and then   
himself. "Fuck me."  
  
Yami-Yuugi ignored the language. "There has to be a better way   
out of this." He gritted his teeth. "We've got to find some other chance."   
  
"I already found it." Jounochi gave a hollow laugh, shoving   
Yuugi into the Game King's grasp before smiling grimly. "I'm going in."  
  
Yami-Yuugi snorted "Don't be stupid! Once you're sacrificed,  
you'll never come back!"  
  
"Good for me." Came the reply. Jounochi gazed into the Game King's   
scarlet eyes, suddenly defiant of their power. "I might act stupid,  
but I knew it was planned. You knew that there would be no choice but   
to sacrifice me." The blonde cut off the Yami's protestations. "It's   
funny huh? You'd think that after I die, I'd go to a monster graveyard or   
something, but judging from the look of your eyes, there is no 'graveyard'   
for me to be returned from."  
  
"Jounochi." Yami-Yuugi's voice came in a tight almost shameful   
whisper. "I'm sorry."  
  
Tears were rapidly filling his chestnut-brown eyes, though the   
boy blinked them away. "Ah," He finally said, "It doesn't really matter   
anyway. It's all like Kaiba said - I should have been dead a long time ago."  
  
Yami-Yuugi watched in slight amusement as thick tears streaked   
down the blonde's eyes at the mention of Kaiba's name. "You like him,   
don't you?"  
  
Jounochi glanced up in surprise before his face flushed a deep   
crimson. "Yeah." A lonesome sigh. "I guess. He always acts like such a  
bastard, but he really is just one of us. That's the way some   
people are."  
  
A sudden piercing cry interrupted the pair's exchange, the Red   
Eyes having disengaged from the close-on assault to fly backwards and   
attempt a long-ranged attack.   
  
"My call." Jounochi smiled. "Wouldn't want that prig Kaiba to   
hurt himself now, would we?" He wiped the last tears from his eyes,   
amazingly calm and relaxed, hiding his chaotic and fear-splattered mind   
from even himself.   
  
The blonde hopped back onto the Winged Dragon, giving the   
faithful creature a pat by the head.   
  
"Jounochi!" Yami-Yuugi called, siding beside the blonde one last   
time. "I..I wanted to thank you. For all of us." And with that, he   
embraced the blonde, holding him in a firm and supporting grasp. Fueled   
by emotions beyond desperation, Jounochi sought for the Game King's   
comfort, exchange finally traveling to a soft kiss. The Yami could feel a   
million sensations swirling madly in the blonde's mind, torturing   
the boy's youthful soul. Yet, a single fixed point sat on the center, always   
glimmering with a soft light.   
  
Hope. That light was hope. And the Game King focused on that single   
point, his Magic letting Jounochi taste that one feeling.   
  
At last, Jounochi let go, involuntarily licking his lips to retain the   
last piece of reassurance; to begin to understand the secret behind the   
Game King. The blonde broke into a radiant smile. "No. Thank   
you." He winked at the Yami, before allowing his ride to shoot off into the   
air. "Take care of Yuugi for me, will ya?"  
  
And that was the last thing the Game King heard from him, the   
Winged Dragon launching at the Red Eyes with perfected speed. This   
time, the Red Eyes was caught unprepared, shrieking with fury when   
Jounochi promptly jumped and launched his weight right at the black   
dragon's head, holding for dear life onto its horns.   
  
Yami-Yuugi did not need to hear the blonde boy's voice to feel the   
signal. The Yami brandished the one card, looking at it for a bit   
before nodding in determination. "I use the Horn of Heaven, and sacrifice   
the Winged Dragon //Jounochi!// to nullify the Red Eyes Black Dragon!"  
  
The Sennen Eye immediately manifested itself as a glowing   
pattern on the Yami's head, the Puzzle glimmering with the same hue.   
Yami-Yuugi concentrated and poured the offered Magic into the attack,   
careful not to channel too much energy as his Aibou had unwittingly done.   
  
The sky suddenly turned a deep crimson, a vortex of silvery-gold   
growing in the center until it engulfed both the Red Eyes and Jounochi   
riding on it. One quick flash of light and it was over, both disappearing as   
if never there.   
  
Silence ensued, and the Game King watched from the corner of   
his eye as Kaiba bowed his head sorrowfully, trying to hide his anguish  
in a scowl. The Yami nodded in grim satisfaction, a horrible pit of   
guiltiness overpowering his soul.   
  
Yami-Yuugi brushed a stray golden bang away from his Aibou's   
peaceful face. He continued to hug the boy protectively until Kaiba flew   
over to join them.   
  
And the Winged Dragon uttered a single wailing cry, echoing   
over the silent landscape.   
  
************************************  
  
  
Yuugi opened his eyes, to be greeted by the full onslaught of   
sunshine. Confused, the boy looked around, sighing in relief as he felt the   
soft grass and firm ground underneath him.   
  
"You're finally awake." Yami-Yuugi chuckled, sliding beside the   
smaller boy.   
  
"Yes." Yuugi rubbed his weary eyes, blinking confusedly around   
him. "But... what happened?" His looked first at his Yami and then at the   
lone figure of Seto Kaiba.   
"Where's Jounochi?"  
  
  
********************************  
  
End notes:   
  
Just wanted to say, EmeraldPhoenix (I was reading your fics the other day ^^=),   
all my other Yu-Gi-Oh fics are one-shot. Sorry about that ^^(), it just   
wouldn't make sense to continue them!   
  
As a side note, please do NOT e-mail my chibizoo@hotmail.com account   
(messenger buddies are still welcome!), due to a potential hotmail virus deleting my  
messages! In the meantime, use my chibizoo@yahoo.com account if you have any  
questions, comments, flames ;_; , or praise *smile smile*.   
  
Eevee muse: *snorts* Who would want to be a fan of _your_ fics?  
  
Zoo: Three people - Me, Myself, and I ! ^^V  
  
Next time:   
  
- Finally we get a bite of Pegasus!  
- Another appearance of those strange Millennium Items (I'm _begging_ someone  
to tell me Shadi's millenium items. I know he has a scale, but what is the other one?) 


	12. The Heart of the Cards (Part 2)

Author's notes:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost in the Shell. Hai hai *nods*  
  
Sorry for the delay in updating. I've been caught up with summer school   
and work, and everything else. *sighs* Yeah…that also means this   
chapter lacks editing, so if there's any spelling errors or incomplete ideas,   
please just live with them for now.   
  
~ dream sequence~  
  
~* quick flashback *~  
  
Warning: Small scene with the most heavy yaoi you're going to see in   
this fic. This was more or less a slight request, so I finally came through.   
Yay me.   
  
**********************************************  
  
"Was it a vision or a waking dream?  
Fled is that music – Do I wake or sleep?"  
  
- Keats, "Ode to a Nightingale"  
  
**********************************************  
  
The Heart of the Cards – Part 2  
  
A small boy with dazzling crimson-black hair lay on a canopy of   
grass. Twin magenta orbs gazed blankly into the night sky, unmoving   
save for the occasional flutter of lids. His cold body remained a still   
statue, counting not by minutes but hours; even eons.   
  
Yami-Yuugi chanced a forlorn glance at his Aibou before   
returning to shift restlessly on his spot. The Yami brought a hand into the   
empty air, stroking the distant image of his Light with trembling fingers.   
"Yuugi…" His firm voice came in a quavering whisper. "Come   
back."  
  
****************************************  
  
"Come back."   
  
Pegasus laughed as he mimicked the voice on his screen, taking   
a deep sip of his wine while watching with amused eyes the melodrama   
playing in front of him. The silver-haired man laughed again when the   
screen focused on Yuugi's unmoving figure, and he held his glass of wine   
towards the image in a mock-toast.   
  
"Here's to Mutou Yuugi, who has had everyone close to him   
destroyed by an evil force."  
  
Pegasus stopped for a moment, eyes suddenly crossing in   
comical confusion. "Ooh. I wonder who would be so evil as to hurt such a   
poor boy." He put a finger thoughtfully to his cheek, shaking his head in   
exaggerated wonder. "Yes. Bad, bad person. What a bad person he is!"  
  
The screen zoomed to analyze the small boy's face closely,   
lenses accenting each shimmering tear brimming underneath large   
paralyzed eyes.   
  
Pegasus stood up. "I feel sorry for poor Yuugi." He shook his   
head, continuing his ironic parody. "I should do something for him." The   
silver-haired man's eyes quickly lit up. "Ah! I know! I'll invite him over   
for tea!"   
  
A rustling of fabric inside the cage behind him reminded   
Pegasus of his prize.   
  
"And we shall serve… cheese and fruit juice!"  
  
***********************************************  
  
"Look Yuugi, I'm sorry. I apologize for what has happened, and   
it was my fault that Jounochi got killed." Yami-Yuugi grimaced as he   
blurted his sentence out loud. Great – his Aibou was sure going to like   
him after saying that.   
  
Fortunately, the Yami was talking to a tree, and not the actual   
person. The Darkness was known for his courage and resourcefulness;   
sadly, one look at the broken Yuugi had left him shaking and trying to   
retain his impenetrable emotions. Yami-Yuugi snorted, mentally berating   
himself. Huh, some Game King.   
  
A rustling of nearby bushes stirred the Yami from his thoughts,   
suddenly bringing him face to face with reality. Approaching soft   
footsteps confirmed his fate, and Yami-Yuugi took a deep breath,   
mustering all his courage. For a moment, he faltered, afraid of what his   
Aibou might say. Ah, hell. It was now or never.   
"Yuugi, I'm sorry and this was all my fault and I really can't   
stand this anymore so I apologize and can you forgive me?" The Yami   
exclaimed in one long sentence, too afraid to look at the expression on   
Yuugi's face.   
  
There was a painful pause where the Yami could envision the   
silent tears drip from his Aibou's wide eyes.   
  
"That's great," Seto Kaiba drawled sarcastically, "But next time,   
try getting the right person." The brown-haired boy turned to leave, ice-  
cold eyes never changing expressions. "But it's nice to know that you   
cared."  
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyebrow twitched. His mouth continued to hang   
wide open, slack jawed, wondering exactly how stupid he had looked.   
Fortunately, there was no one else there to tell him.   
  
**************************  
  
"Jounochi… why did you leave me?" Yuugi whimpered,   
whispering his plea to the night air. "J-"  
  
His subdued cry was cut short by his own exhaustion. Yuugi's   
eyelids finally shut in peaceful harmony, neither flickering nor wavering   
as they beckoned his mind to dream.   
  
Dreamless dreams not meant to be understood by innocent little   
boys.   
  
~A glass mirror. That was all Yuugi saw in the murky shades of   
grey. The boy shuffled awkwardly towards the mirror, peering at the   
smooth surface of solid blue. He could see his childish face staring back,   
though it seemed to twinkle and analyze him with inhumane acquisition.   
And then, the reflection disappeared, leaving only a ripple in the glass   
face.   
  
A ripple on the mirror that faded to reveal an image of a five-  
year-old Yuugi, giggling in a surreal grassy landscape. Yuugi continued   
to stare at the younger version of himself, watching his past actions   
through the glass.   
  
The Yuugi in the reflection laughed happily as he fell, courtesy   
of a blonde-haired boy who had accidentally toppled on top of the smaller   
one. Little-Yuugi giggled even harder when the other boy hastily scurried   
off, blushing an embarrassed pink.   
  
"It's okay, Jounochi." Little-Yuugi beamed. "You're my friend   
so it's okay if you accidentally hurt me."  
  
The Jounochi in the image could be no older than six. "But I   
don't want to hurt you." He protested, large brown eyes wide. "I want to   
be by your side and protect you."  
  
Little-Yuugi hugged Jounochi, wrapping his arms around the   
other boy's slightly larger frame. "I'm glad I have you Jounochi. Let's be   
friends forever."  
  
Jounochi's pink blush developed a darker shade. "Yes. Let's be   
the bestest friends! Cause I love you a lot, Yuugi!" The boy suddenly   
realized what he had blurted, clapping his chubby hands over his gaping   
mouth.   
  
The little Yuugi responded with a radiant smile. "I love you   
too!"  
  
Then, the provoking images disappeared from the surface as   
quickly as they had come, leaving only the blank, bland mirror as a   
remembrance. Yuugi stifled a sob, bringing a shaking hand to gently   
touch the mirror's porcelain frame. And before his fingers could clasp the   
surface, it disappeared.   
  
Yuugi saw only his reflection staring sadly back. And that too   
eventually faded away.   
  
Alone, alone. He was all alone, with no one to help him, with all   
his friends one by one violently killed.   
  
Yuugi hastily wiped his nose with a scratchy sleeve. Shadowy   
darkness and oppressive fog only emphasized his agony, creating a sea of   
unfathomable grief. The small boy collapsed wearily to lean a soft cheek   
against the smooth ground, letting the hot tears slide down his face and   
drip silently against the firm surface. Some of the warm droplets tickled   
his nose, mixing with his clammy sweat and creating a salty taste when   
they accidentally dripped onto his tongue.   
  
Ah! How sweet even blood had been compared to this bitter   
taste! For with blood came promise and potential, teeming with a million   
networks of life and energy. There was nothing in tears but death and   
sorrow.   
  
A pounding of footsteps broke Yuugi's rhythmic sobbing. The   
small boy's blood-shot eyes roved to greet the sound, though his lead lay   
limply on the ground, prostrate body tingling with vulnerability. The   
Millennium Puzzle began to glow in warning.   
  
Someone separated from the mist to bend down and kneel right   
beside Yuugi. Unlike the others, everything about this figure seemed   
utmostly dull, from the misty-grey robes to the bland grey eyes. And even   
then, the grey was a listless grey; a far cry from the vivid human world of   
material reality.   
  
Yuugi swallowed his dry throat, coughing dryly before licking   
parched lips and attempting to speak. "Who are you?" His voice was   
barely audible, even to himself.   
  
"My name is Shadi." The person said, voice neither ringing nor   
penetrating but simply plain; uninteresting. "And I have a proposition to   
offer you."  
  
Oddly enough, Yuugi felt placated by this person's strange   
hollowness. "Don't even bother," His voice was slowly becoming   
stronger, "Nothing matters any more."  
  
Shadi said nothing at first, bending his head to glance   
unconvincingly at the smaller boy. " 'We are the hollow men'," He   
suddenly quoted, vaguely smiling. "'We are the stuffed men'."  
  
Violet eyes frosted deep in thought. Hollow men? What did he   
mean by that? Yuugi slowly shifted his weary head, no longer crying as   
he listened curiously to the other's words.   
  
"'Our dried voices, when we whisper together are quiet and   
meaningless,'" Shadi continued, every syllable suddenly penetrating and   
powerful, though the speaker remained monotonous. Perhaps it was   
because the words had a purpose, unlike the desolate limbo of nothing   
surrounding them. "'Shape without form… Shade without colour…'"  
  
Tap. A rustle of subdued echoes.  
  
"'Paralyzed force…'"  
  
Tap. The clicking of voices vibrating in the still air.   
  
"'Gesture without motion…'"  
  
Tap. A roar of cries thrashing behind dull grey cages.   
  
"'This is the dead land.'" Shadi flickered his unfocused eyes,   
letting the grey orbs wander towards Yuugi's face. The screams, shouts,   
murmurs, pleas, all died as soon as his voice dropped into silence.   
  
Yuugi stared at the strange person with awed eyes. "_What_ are   
you?"  
  
Shadi laughed, the tone genuine. "I am only human, after all. A   
bit different from you, but just the same."   
  
Yuugi closed his eyes in concentrated thought. Finally, he pulled   
his lids open, forcing his protesting body to slide off the cool ground until   
he was propped in a kneeling crouch. He sighed, "What is your   
proposition?"  
  
"This." Shadi took out two golden items from the air around   
them. One of them was a beautiful scale, and the other an Ankh, each   
glistening with power and ancient mystery.   
  
Yuugi caught his breath. "Millennium Items! He whispered,   
awed, "B-but why would you want me to have them?"  
  
"They are not for you." Shadi said. "There are many who would   
boast ownership, though it is wiser to not even try."  
  
"Then, whose are they?" Yuugi's expression was one of pure   
confusion.   
  
The other's lips curved in wry amusement. "You'll figure out   
soon enough."  
  
The sparkling objects were shoved in front of the small boy, all   
but vibrating with energy. Yuugi's Millennium Puzzle glowed in   
recognition with the other two, bathing all three in a warm golden sheen.   
  
Shadi was long gone even before Yuugi had thought about   
raising his head in question. ~  
  
*****************************  
  
"Damn." Yami-Yuugi smashed his fist heavily against the tree   
bark. Restlessly, he paced back and forth, feet digging harshly into the   
loose soil. The Yami fell still for just a few moments before beginning to   
bash his head against the same tree's trunk. "Damn, damn, damn…"  
  
"You can stop now." Kaiba shook his head, watching the Game   
King continuously hit his head against the tree. As amusing as it was, the   
Yami had been doing the same action for a good three hours till the point   
of becoming extremely tedious. "Normally, I wouldn't complain, but I'm   
feeling quite sorry for the tree."  
  
Yami-Yuugi stopped in mid-bash, flashing a glare at Seto Kaiba.   
He then quickly continued his routine, loud thumps evident against the   
hollow wood.   
  
Kaiba sighed, shrugging. Well, he did try. The techno-magician   
gazed at his free hand before taking out a large chrome contraption from   
within his large jacket pocket. Fingers brushed over the steel metal   
surface longingly. It had been placed on the shelf for several decades   
now, waiting for its moment to be used. And Kaiba knew that it would be   
soon – very soon. Now, if only the Game King would cooperate…   
Speaking of the Game King, Kaiba swiveled his attention back   
on the Yami, only to catch said person splintering his hands, letting the   
fragments of wood pierce his skin and create rivulets of throbbing blood.   
  
The Yami was too fascinated with his self-inflicted cuts to notice   
the techno-magician suddenly grab him and pull his abused hand away.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Kaiba hissed, wondering if he   
was the only sane person left on this planet.   
  
"'Here we go around the prickly pear'." Yami suddenly began to   
chant in a high sing-song voice, mimicking a child's innocent laughter.   
"'Prickly pear, prickly pear.'"  
  
Kaiba slapped his forehead with one hand. The Game King had   
lost it.   
  
"'Here we go around the prickly pear at five o'clock in the   
morning'."  
  
Angry and slightly desperate, the techno-magician seized the   
Yami by the shoulders, giving him a rough heave. Though Yami-Yuugi's   
head snapped and recoiled, his eyes still remained half-insane, half-  
conscious.   
"Will you get yourself together?" Kaiba hissed menacingly. "I   
know you're feeling sorry for yourself, but guess what? Everyone makes   
shitty mistakes, so don't let just one obstacle degrade you into this pile of   
crap."  
  
Yami-Yuugi blinked, crimson irises suddenly re-focusing. Had   
Kaiba just given him a speech of encouragement? Had _the_ Seto Kaiba   
just told him to never give up? The Yami pulled the startled techno-  
magician close to his body until his nose was only inches away from the   
taller boy's chin. Dark crimson eyes burned in scrutiny and analysis.  
  
Seto Kaiba was unsure of what to do. His chest suddenly felt too   
tight, and his breaths came in shallow gasps. He could feel the throbbing   
body of the Game King, and was close enough to count every eyelash on   
the Yami's piercing crimson eyes.   
  
Yami-Yuugi smirked, all too aware of his effect on the techno-  
magician. As not to disappoint the other, he suddenly leant his frame right   
in front of Kaiba's, the golden Puzzle digging against his chest causing   
his breath to come in controlled gasps. Playful fingers brushed expertly   
over the techno-magician's spine, causing Kaiba to involuntarily shudder.   
  
Kaiba was about to cry out in protest when he suddenly was cut   
off from all verbal speech by something _warm_ pressing against his   
mouth. It only took seconds before a startled Kaiba decided he liked it.   
An elegantly arched tongue retaliated to the kiss, prying the Game King's   
lips apart to slip into the mouth cavity and playfully tease the other. Of   
course, the Yami would have none of that, embracing his own tongue to   
collide and obtain dominance over his other's.   
  
They finally pulled apart when their lungs screamed for oxygen,   
glancing at each other with flushed cheeks.   
  
"So." Yami-Yuugi broke into his trademark half-grin. "Am I a   
good kisser?"  
  
Kaiba shuddered as the Yami ran another set of playful fingers   
against his spine. The warmth traveling along his back was creating   
almost uncontrollable urges, his body rising with heat and barely   
restrained longing. "I don't even want to know what the hell that was   
about."  
  
The Game King said nothing, etching his hands along the taller   
boy's frame. Searching fingers outlined Kaiba's eyes, slowly making way   
to draw circles around the nose, cheekbones, and finally pausing at the   
mouth. Kaiba felt something strangely watery and warm staining his lips,   
licking them out of pure reaction. It tasted dully sweet and just a bit   
metallic, reminding the techno-magician faintly of exotic spices.   
  
Yami-Yuugi grinned. "You like it?" He mocked, laughing at the   
surprised face of the techno-magician when the Yami held up his   
bleeding hand, fingers still dripping with the blood. "Don't worry, I'll   
have you cleaned up in no time." He placed his firm fingers on both sides   
of the brown-haired boy's head, massaging the neatly trimmed hair   
around the ears to stroke the delicate scalp underneath. Upon hearing the   
techo-magician hiss contentedly, the Game King slowly forced the taller   
boy's head until it was at chest level, tilting Kaiba's face against his own.   
Slowly at first, the Yami brought his mouth to other's forehead, extending   
his salivating tongue to lick a deliberate path on the soft skin.  
  
Kaiba said nothing as the Yami continued to lick the blood once   
smeared on his skin, enjoying the feeling of the tongue as it sought for   
every spilt drop. The brown-haired boy's breathing began to tighten again   
when the tongue finally dropped to mouth level, though the lubricated   
tissue slipped under Kaiba's lower lip to clean off the caked blood on the   
stubborn chin.   
  
Once done, the Game King spent not even a moment of   
initiation before allowing his hands to loosen and drag down Kaiba's   
body until they hung near taller boy's jeans. Yami-Yuugi chuckled,   
ignoring the sudden smoothing of wrinkles on the upper segment of the   
jeans, slipping his fingers to cleverly undo the other's leather buckle. The   
Yami felt a set of clammy hands hastily do the same to him, though he   
was the more experienced; his emotional arousal still at a minimum. Once   
the clasp fell, undone, the Yami deftly whipped the belt off its hinges,   
casting the item onto the floor. He shifted his fingers so that his indexes   
still hung at the rim of the loosened pants, though the thumbs pried past   
the zipper and began massaging the around the sensitive area underneath.   
Both thumbs nipped playfully at their objective, hastily averting tactics   
before reaching the desired target.  
  
Kaiba groaned involuntarily, his body suddenly both hot and   
cold as they tingled with anticipation. He could feel his mind screaming   
to break the moment of tension, and he rubbed his legs closer to the Game   
King to encourage the other. The Game King was quick to respond, hands   
sending brief and erratic pulses of pleasure to freeze the techno-magician   
in mid stance, causing him to wrack his trembling body in gratification.   
The techno-magician's body fought to breathe while he rode on another   
wave of bliss, mind driven almost to insanity by the promise of each   
stroke.   
  
Sensing that the other wanted more, Yami-Yuugi chuckled,   
slipping his entire hand into the opening and clenching his fists firmly   
around the target, his thumb rubbing the tip with precise thrusts. The   
Game King was rewarded with a sudden gasp by the other, smiling   
amusedly when Kaiba dug his nails into the Yami's skin to sustain the   
absolute ecstasy driven by each brush. The Yami could feel the heat   
rising in the techno-magician's body, manipulating his fingers to control   
the moment of climax.   
  
Kaiba grunted as he rode the unadulterated passion, wracking   
into muffled sobs as each tumult of pleasure left his body trembling and   
vulnerable. Every muscle quivered, and his legs shook uncontrollably,   
completely helpless under the pleasure-manipulating Game King. He   
gasped again as he finally rose into the final moment of climax, ignoring   
the pain when the Yami shoved his index finger directly against the   
objective, stirring the finger to pry slightly pry apart the opening. The   
single moment was unexplainable; he felt so powerful and completely   
satiated, his warm body rising to millions of degrees and yet leaving a   
contented blanket of satiation in its wake. His muscles clenched and   
retracted even harder, unconsciously closing his eyes to embrace every   
lingering moment. Very rarely in his life had Kaiba felt such gratification,   
and the Game King was proving to be an exceptional player. He could   
feel the warm fluid ejaculating from the area the Yami's fingers were still   
playfully nipping at, slightly guilty when the liquid spread over his jeans   
and onto the other's hands.   
  
Yami-Yuugi held up his hand, still scabbed with undried blood   
and now covered in a layer of filmy white. The Yami began laughing,   
picking out the remainder of woody splinters on his hand and then softly   
licking each scarred point. He closed his eyes to cherish the foreign fluid   
mixed with his own blood, rubbing the collected liquids on his tongue   
against his teeth to savour every flavour. It was slightly musty with a taste   
of dull iron, though the mixture teemed with life and fascinating energy.   
  
Kaiba waited patiently for the Game King to complete the   
strange ritual. For the first time, he noticed the ivory incisors on   
protruding form the Yami's upper lip, eyes widening in surprise. "Those   
fangs," Kaiba murmured, unaware that he was saying it out loud, "Is that   
even possible?"  
  
"All of us." Yami-Yuugi replied, making the techo-magician   
jump as he realized that the Yami was replying to the question. "All of us   
are condemned. The lost ones. Millennium Item holders, vampires,   
Talisman-seekers. We were fated to meet here."  
  
"Fate. Do you believe in that crap?" The techno-magician   
brought his cold hands against the Game King's warm body, making the   
other gasp slightly.  
  
The Darkness shook his head slightly. "No. But you are forced   
to acknowledge it." He closed his eyes, panting slightly to maintain his   
control over the intimacy; knowing very well that this would most likely   
be his last experience. And judging from the very way Kaiba moved his   
hands to linger longingly with every stroke, the techno-magician knew it   
too.   
  
Sometimes, the best way to approach death was to screw it.   
  
*********************************  
  
A gentle hand stroked the soft crimson-black hair. Yami-Yuugi   
gazed wistfully at his sleeping Aibou, managing a twitching smile when   
the smaller boy unconsciously leant towards the touch. The Yami kissed   
the smaller boy gently on the head. And suddenly, he felt afraid: afraid to   
leave the small boy alone; afraid to complete his task; afraid to know that   
everything might be just a futile quest. For the Game knew no favours.   
  
Deliberate footsteps striding against the rustle of bushes   
betrayed someone else behind the Yami. Yami-Yuugi turned around to   
meet a pair of deep garnet eyes.   
  
"We'll take care of the little one." The green-haired lady   
exclaimed, smiling her traditional enigmatic smile.   
  
The Yami's eyes lingered for a moment at the sleeping boy   
before reluctantly parting to stand beside the waiting Kaiba. He nodded.   
"Don't let him get hurt."   
  
"Take care of yourself too, Game King." Came Setsuna's reply.   
"And may the fates be with you."  
  
Yami-Yuugi laughed. "I hope not." He turned and gestured for   
Kaiba to leave, noticing that the techno-magician was currently absorbed   
in glaring at someone behind Setsuna: a tall, rather masculine female in a   
jumpsuit, short blonde hair billowing against the wind. She held a hand in   
salute to the brown-haired boy before dropping it protectively over the   
sword-shaped talisman around her neck.   
  
For his part, Seto Kaiba said nothing and only blinked silently.   
"Let's go." He turned to disappear among the shadows.   
  
Mustering all his willpower and strength, Yami-Yuugi tore his   
eyes away from his Aibou, still feeling his other's presence always a   
heartbeat away. He had to say something. He had to tell his other that he   
was leaving and that he would always love him no matter what.   
  
Nothing came out.   
  
And the Yami slunk into the darkness behind Kaiba.   
  
**********************************  
  
Yami-Yuugi skidded to a halt. Until now, the Authority   
headquarters had been almost too simple to navigate. His eyes narrowed   
at the pathway in front of him, divided into two options.   
  
"Well. We'll have to split up." Kaiba muttered, grip   
unconsciously tightening on the chrome weapon cradled in his arms.   
  
"No." The Yami shook his head. "That's exactly what the   
Authority wants us to do. Get lost in their maze so they can hunt his down   
one by one."  
  
Kaiba snorted. "You got any better options, _Game King_?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi ignored the taunt, closing his eyes in concentration.   
The long-trusted Millennium Puzzle began obeyed the beckon to glow   
resplendent sheen of gold. Quickly, a beam of light shot from the Puzzle   
and steered towards the right entrance. The Yami focused his crimson   
irises on the other. "Right."  
  
"All right." Kaiba scowled. "Don't you dare give me that pain-  
in-the-ass smirk."  
  
The corner of the Game King's lips curled just slightly. "You're   
just afraid to admit that I'm better." He entered the right entrance, risking   
a small Light spell to allow a steady clearance.   
  
Both said nothing as they ran down the endless hallways. Wall   
after desolate wall loomed in their visions to create the impending illusion   
of eternity.   
  
Kaiba glanced suspiciously at his surroundings. "Are you sure   
this is right? I could have sworn that we've crossed here several times   
already."  
  
That comment was enough to stop the Yami in his tracks. He   
frowned, gazing at the blank walls and analyzing their sides for potential   
information. "The Puzzle never lies." He stated, as if that was the most   
conclusive statement there needed to be.   
  
"Yet." Came Kaiba's foreboding reply. The techno-magician put   
a hand towards the grey wall. "Maybe it cannot lie, but it can be   
deceived."  
  
Yami-Yuugi opened his mouth to retort only to realize the logic   
behind the other's words. He furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "For   
something to deceive the Puzzle, it would require a strong will and power   
equal to that of the Puzzle. But that should almost be impossible."  
  
"You mentioned Millennium Items before. Are there any other   
Millennium Items that you know of with such a power?"  
  
The Yami's eyes reflected doubt. "I don't-" He cut himself off   
from the thought. "Wait! I remember. Yuugi and I. We were talking about   
Duel Monsters and he mentioned the possibility of a Millennium Item   
holder."  
  
Kaiba hissed. "So, that just might be it. Now, if only we could   
figure out what exactly the Item is."  
  
Yami-Yuugi was no longer listening but deep in thought.   
  
~ *   
  
"Then, whoever created these cards must have known about the   
Shadow Realm." That was Yuugi's voice.   
  
"What I want to know is _who_ this person is. For someone to   
guess the names and attributes of each monster so accurately requires   
someone who is in the same situation as me – a soul brought to the future   
by a Millennium Item." Yami-Yuugi had only mentioned so much   
himself.  
  
"Another Millennium Item." Yuugi replied, "From the looks of   
it, this person also knew Magic."   
  
*~  
  
"Magic." Yami-Yuugi muttered. "Who would be able to tie   
Magic into cards with such accuracy?"  
  
Kaiba shrugged. "Magic isn't my field. My guess is that the   
person wanted to preserve the memory of the monster. Maybe the person   
was waiting for the right moment, knowing that those who deserved the   
cards would invoke its powers properly."  
  
"Deserved?" The Yami questioned. "The question then   
becomes: How do you _deserve_ to use a card? How do you know that   
your Magic belongs with the cards?"  
  
Kaiba snorted. "I'm a technologist, not a mind-reader."  
  
"Exactly!" The Yami suddenly whirled around to face the   
techno-magician in a flurry of excitement. "Seto, you're amazing!"  
  
Kaiba blinked. "Okay." Another couple of blinks as he watched   
the Game King divert his attention to the surrounding ceiling and walls.   
"Would you like to tell me why?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi couldn't help but smirk. "Only mind-readers would   
be able to tell which card was favoured by which owner. Therefore, when   
the pre-prepared cards reached the right owner, the mind-reader would be   
able to locate _who_ was using the card. For mind-readers cannot see the   
future, though they can link the past together."  
  
"You've lost me there." Kaiba shook his head. "All I   
got out of it was that the person is a mind-reader."  
  
"Yes." Yami-Yuugi voice came in a low, venomous hiss. "The   
leader of the Authority is a Millennium Item holder. And a very powerful   
item, by the looks of it."  
  
"So, now what?"  
  
The Yami continued to scan his surroundings. "I have riddle for   
you, Kaiba. What is something you can see but cannot touch or feel?" He   
began pacing up and down the aisle almost impatiently.  
  
"How about your words?" Kaiba retorted, watching amusedly at   
the Game King currently fixated in staring into the darkness.   
  
Yami-Yuugi grinned. He held up his open hand, fingers   
extended, suddenly thrusting his hand into a dark-covered wall beside   
him. The very fabric of the wall began to ripple and distort, bending to   
allow the hand to extend through the shadowy barrier.   
  
Kaiba's eyes narrowed at the observation. "Shadows!" He   
finally exclaimed.   
  
"Yes." Yami-Yuugi's eyes flickered slightly. "But you might   
find this quite interesting. He swiveled the orb of light in his other hand   
towards the darkened area and again tried extending his free hand through   
the wall. His fingers met a firm resistance.   
"You see, you may only pass in the absence of light. In darkness.   
Yami." The Game King sighed.   
"Someone is playing a pun on my name."   
  
Kaiba shrugged. "Your loss is my gain." Without warning, he   
shoved past the Yami to slip into the shadowy wall.   
  
About to retort, Yami-Yuugi realized that there was no one to   
talk to; and after an exasperated huff, hurriedly followed the steps of the   
other. Only a murmur of sound located his absence.   
  
*******************************  
  
It was still warm when Yuugi opened his eyes and found it   
hiding beneath his tightly clenched hand. Like the others, its dull gold   
immediately flared to life the moment the Puzzle recognized it, both   
gleaming with a similar light.   
  
Mesmerized, Yuugi watched the interaction between his Puzzle   
and the Ankh. A brief pulse of white light, and the Ankh disappeared,   
leaving only the satisfied face of the Millennium Puzzle. The boy blinked   
only a couple of times before dismissing the entire event.   
  
/Isn't that weird, Yami?/ Yuugi remarked, convention forcing   
him to wait for a reply.   
  
There was no response.   
  
Frowning, Yuugi tried again. He briefly wondered if he had   
angered his other, or perhaps if his Yami was somewhere else resting.   
The boy stood up from his grassy cushion, craning his head to look at the   
surrounding trees.   
  
"Yami?" His voice was tentative and hesitant, afraid of the   
reply.   
  
Silence.   
  
"Yami?" Yuugi tried again louder, his sharp voice echoing   
against the hollow wind and dry birdsong.   
  
Again, nothing.   
  
Plunk. Hot tears dribbled down the boy's cheek, each one   
deliberately staining a perfect circle when they disappeared into faded   
blue fabric. They were familiar tears, practiced to perfection a million   
times over. A grubby hand smeared the glowing orbs pooling against   
rapidly fluttering eyelashes. And yet, they stayed, and stung with an acrid   
saltiness.   
  
Whimpering, Yuugi collapsed onto the grass, curling into a fetal   
ball. He rocked his body back and forth, resting his chin between his   
jutting knees while gazing at the world with half closed lids. Visions of   
blurred green and lurid blue danced around him and distorted into   
grotesque faces. An emerald face seethed behind amber eyes. A sapphire   
visage peered impassively through a ruby-crusted irises. And as soon as   
they had arrived, they disappeared, back into the contours of the   
imagination.   
  
The small boy leaned over to one side. He forced his mouth shut   
in an effort of stopping the jagged sobs.   
  
The colours were coming back now, a vision of splendid   
crimson and scarlet. They were strands of garnet, pulsating and throbbing   
like an endless network of veins. Each streak of red piled on top of the   
other, zig-zagging and cross-crossing for what seemed like infinity. And   
each vein teemed with information, yammering and screaming their   
existence.   
  
"Stop it." Yuugi pleaded. He could see the glistening threads of   
life cross, collide, and fade. They grew and expanded, coiling and   
pitching their bulk against each other. And even then, they did not give in   
but bulged in their confinements. The hues of red swelled and shifted into   
a choking violet. Finally, some strands, unable to bear the pressure,   
snapped, their protective covering breaking apart. From their dead violet   
membrane gushed fluids of watery-crimson. The crimson splashed and   
spilled against the other live vessels, staining their membranes with a   
splatter of red. And, like a signal, the other vessels began to collectively   
spew and burst out the scarlet liquid until it was a kaleidoscope of violet   
and red clashing against each other.   
  
Yuugi screamed. He knew he did that, and he was fully   
conscious of his actions when he bent uncomfortably forwards and   
retched against the cool grass. Acidic heat and bile mixed with his saliva   
to fly into the open air. There, they fell, landing on the emerald green   
grass in messy pools of putrid pink and maroon.   
  
The boy clutched his stomach, turning to one side to avoid the   
stench. He ignored his stinging throat and wiped a dribble of the acidic   
blood from his lips. By now, the dancing veins had died and faded away.   
There was only the blue skies and green grass as far as the eye could see.   
  
Yuugi might have delved into a deeper catatonic state, had a   
presence not interrupted his actions. A person's silhouette hovered over   
the small boy's body. Yuugi turned around, only to greet a pair of garnet   
eyes. And having deducted that they were garnet, not crimson, Yuugi   
withdrew his excited expression to once again gaze forlornly at the blank   
space.  
  
However, the woman was not to be ignored. She took a few   
paces towards the small boy and bent beside him.   
"Hello Yuugi. Are you lost?" It was a casual and abstract   
comment.  
  
Yuugi shuddered. The voice was familiar. He closed his eyes   
and looked away.   
  
She, Setsuna Meiou, cleared her throat, clearly stating her   
presence. "Just a moment ago, you saw something that bothered you." It   
was a statement that she already knew.   
  
Yuugi said nothing. His lips parted in a feeble effort.   
  
"What you saw was every strand of life billowing against each   
other." Setsuna continued, "Though each strand is unique and beautiful,   
when they become rebellious and different, they will only succeed in   
hurting each other."   
  
A pause. "That was what Club 0013 feared. We dedicated our   
entire lives to prevent such chaos and discord."  
  
Yuugi suddenly looked up, violet eyes accusing. He coughed   
several times before he was able to regain his voice. "You're not better   
than any of them! All you want is-"  
  
"-love, hope, peace, equality." The lady smiled. "Of course."  
  
The boy backed away from Setsuna. He hissed, voice   
unnaturally low and threatening. "And I thought you were different. I   
thought that you could actually help to make a difference."  
  
Setsuna smiled. "Of course we are. We are making a difference.   
We want to help everyone, not just you, Yuugi Mutou."  
  
Drip. More tears. "Then, why were you _against_ the   
Authority?" Yuugi accused. "You and the Authority both have the same   
ideas: enslave humanity, conform society." Drop. Another tear. "_Why_   
did you pretend that you were helping us?"  
  
"I am helping you. All of us are. You just have to believe in it   
and all will be fine. As all this pain will come to a final, deserving end." It   
was a soothing and comfortable response.   
  
Yuugi stumbled as he tried to heave himself as far back as   
possible. His lower lip trembled uncontrollably. "I get it now. I should   
have known." The small boy suddenly began laughing, though the sound   
was forced and all too desperate. "I should have known. What an idiot I   
was!"  
  
Setsuna smiled, though she did not walk any closer. "No, Yuugi.   
You were very smart."  
  
Yuugi stopped laughing. "Where is Yami?"  
  
*******************************  
  
The Game King landed on a hard surface, boots skidding to a   
slippery stop. Immediately, he began looking around.   
  
It was an entirely dark room, a sooty black that enshrouded the   
entire vicinity with unease. Taking no chances, the Yami cast a small   
Light spell, only to have it suddenly snuffed out. Yami-Yuugi narrowed   
his eyes. "Seto?"  
  
There was a choked cough to the call. The cough soon turned   
into a hoarse cry and then into silence.   
  
Yami-Yuugi's eyes widened. "Kaiba!" He shouted again, though   
this time, he was greeted by silence. The Game King's eyes narrowed in   
suspicion. Something powerful was hiding in the darkness unseen,   
drawing with it fear and unease.   
  
Sure enough, from the silence emerged the clatter of deliberate   
footsteps. The darkness began to glimmer and fade, leaving a chasm of   
pale greys and browns in its wake. Now, the Yami could see the owner of   
the footsteps.   
  
He was a medium-built man, sporting an odd red suit almost too   
formal for any occasion. His pure silver hair cascaded down both sides of   
his face to leave a prominent nose and sharp chin. Only one eye,   
however, gazed sharply from his face while the other lay concealed in a   
clump of silver hair.   
  
The figure smiled. "Welcome, Game King." He gestured to the   
Yami, palms face-up and open. "What bids you here to my humble   
domain?"  
  
"Drop the shit." Yami-Yuugi immediately responded. "What   
did you do to Kaiba?"  
  
The silver-haired man grinned. "What did he do to himself?"  
  
Enraged, Yami-Yuugi snarled, flinging his body against the   
other in efforts to strike a blow. However, his extended hands struck only   
thin air. The Yami barely had time to react when a heavy force slammed   
into his body, forcing his breath out with a stunned gasp.   
  
Pegasus watched the expression on the enraged Yami and   
grinned. He withdrew his fist from the other's stomach so that the Yami   
collapsed on his knees. The silver-haired man began walking circles   
around the fallen Yami, voice persuading and always slightly superior.   
"You know that you can't possibly win against me in _my_ domain. Such   
a pity you didn't have time to calculate your fatal error."  
  
Gasping in a lungful of air, Yami-Yuugi forced his attention   
away from the other in order to restrain his temper. Pegasus was right –   
here, the Game King was at a disadvantage. "Why are you here?" He   
demanded, winded voice slightly clipped of his usual regal tone.   
  
"The Millennium Eye can read minds. And I can see very well   
your fated 'purpose'." Pegasus stated with his mocking tone. "In fact, I   
can sense every single feeble thought playing in your mind." He   
continued to leer, sliding closer to the enraged Yami. "Does that scare   
you? Does that frighten you that I can see the mind of the oh-so-powerful   
Game King?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi said nothing, though his eyes flickered from an   
impassive crimson to a swirling scarlet-red. His face was set in a half-  
snarl, his Sennen Puzzle glittering with the same livid fury. As Pegasus   
walked completed yet another circular rotation, Yami-Yuugi lunged,   
propelling his weight against the other. And again, he met only empty air   
as Pegasus shoved the Yami painfully on the back and forced him to slam   
face-down against the ground.   
  
The silver-haired man kept his knee against the struggling   
Yami's back. "Don't be so impatient, Game King." He jeeringly   
reprimanded. "Why are you in such a rush to leave?"  
  
With unrestrained rage, Yami-Yuugi growled, twisting his body   
from the confining knee to flip onto his chest. The Yami laid one hand on   
his Millennium Item, eyes furrowed in concentration. Immediately, the   
Puzzle responded, flaring to an intense white. It only took the Yami a few   
words before a brilliant ring of flames suddenly burst into life to surround   
him in a protective barrier. From there, Yami-Yuugi quickly extended   
one hand, a sphere of flames bursting from the darkness. Split seconds   
later, he flung the sphere, its burning flames aimed directly at Pegasus's   
face.   
  
Pegasus, however, stared placately at the threatening Magic-  
induced projectile. He covered his mouth with one hand in a fake yawn,   
and watched under falsely drooping lids. The flame seemed to suddenly   
slow down as they neared Pegasus's face, to warp and vanish into   
darkness before they could even touch the intended target.   
  
The silver-haired man feigned another bored yawn. He shrugged   
non-comittaly before looking straight at the Yami.   
"My turn." A grin played on his perfectly calm expression.   
  
To be continued…  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
Malik Says:  
  
Honda: What the heck? Malik rarely even appears in the story and _ he_   
gets a self-insert?  
  
Malik: *evil grin* You have something against that?  
  
Honda: *sweatdrop!* Eh heh… on second thoughts…  
  
Malik: Anyway, the moral for today's chapter is that I am evil and you're   
not. Oh, and that I have the coolest Millennium Item. Yup. That's about   
it.   
  
Eevee muse: You're forgetting something.   
  
Malik: Oh yeah. The Eevee muse does all the work on this fanfic and all   
that Zoo does is sleep.   
  
Zoo: WHAT?!? Oh right! Everybody make fun of the author! *puts hands   
up in defeat* I get no credit around here.   
  
Eevee muse: Good for you ^.^  
  
Zoo: That's it! I'm leaving! *grumbles* You guys go ahead and finish the   
stupid fic! I quit, you bunch of meanies! *leaves*  
  
Eevee muse: Yes! *does gives Malik a high five* You know what that   
means….  
  
Malik: *trademark evil grin* Oooh.. can I write the ending?  
  
Eevee muse: Go ahead ^_^.   
  
*****************************************  
  
End notes:   
  
Yes! Ff.net finally is open again! Fly my ficcie, fly! I might be a little   
slow on writing the last chappy cause I'm working on another fic with   
FC-chan – and yes, it does have vampires in it, titled "Scarlet Fangs", I   
think…. *coughs nervously*  
  
Ahhh… *sniffles and goes teary eyed* You actually enjoyed my fic,   
Pawprintz? I feel so honoured ^^=.   
  
Next time:   
- Yami vs. Pegasus, and the final outcome of the Game we have all   
learned to love  
- Why Club 0013 is just as bad as the Authority  
- * Next chapter is the LAST chapter! 


	13. The Heart of the Cards (Part 3)

Author's notes:  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. In fact, I don't   
even know what they are. *scratches head* What am I doing here?  
  
Credits for this chapter go to FC-chan, who literally had to pull me   
out of my bed of writer's block, whacking me on the head with her   
hammer of self-inspiration. Well, I did get here, didn't I?  
  
Warnings: Excessive "thinking" and very choppy paragraphing. Written   
in this format to emphasize certain points. Might also warp your   
mind, but that's not my fault ^^().   
  
Note: ~~ Flashback sequence ~~  
~ dream sequence ~  
  
**************************************  
  
"This is the way the world ends  
This is the way the world ends  
This is the way the world ends  
Not with a bang but a whimper"  
- TS. Elliot, "The Hollow Men" (I've been quoting him throughout the   
entire fic!)  
  
**************************************  
  
Last time:  
  
The silver-haired man feigned another bored yawn. He shrugged non-  
comittaly before looking straight at the Yami.   
"My turn." A grin played on his perfectly calm expression.  
  
**************************************  
  
Chapter 13: The Heart of the Cards - Part 3  
  
  
The first thing that registered in Yami-Yuugi's mind was pain.   
It came, intense wave after wave, pummeling his body with a   
relentless agony. Now, the Yami had been forced against the ground,   
lying chest-down in his own pool of blood. He could feel the rivulets   
of warmth trickle and ease down his sensitive skin. His right leg was   
awkwardly twisted, and each breath drawn caused his chest to   
constrict awkwardly.  
  
Yet, most of all was the pain. It screamed a mind-numbing roar,   
overwhelming his senses; overwhelming his determination; overwhelming   
his basic pattern of thought. It was as if a gigantic hammer of force   
had slammed the Yami face down in the dirt, draining his very source   
of energy while chuckling in continuous exultation.   
  
... Which was exactly what Pegasus was doing at the moment. The   
silver-haired man was still laughing, bringing a hand to trace   
invisible sketches against the Yami's back while his Magic forced   
each finger-stroke to gouge a scarlet path across his skin. Yami-  
Yuugi's jacket, shredded and stained, revealed all too clearly on his   
beautiful pale skin each blemish and artistic cut.   
  
Yami-Yuugi grunted, bringing a trembling arm up in attempts to   
counter the onslaught. His hand was immediately blocked. Another   
feeble swing with the other arm yielded the same result. And, for the   
first time in 8000 years, Yami-Yuugi foresaw his defeat. He knew that   
he would fall in front of his opponent, and he knew that there was no   
way to outsmart him. For how did one defeat an opponent who could   
read their every single move, predicting it and thwarting it before   
it could even be exercised?  
  
Another wave of pain lanced through the Yami's body, causing   
him to involuntarily cry out loud, back arching in pain-stimulated   
response. The agony continued to ravish and destroy until all it left   
behind was a half-alive shell. All hopes, thoughts, beliefs, and   
strategies had been eradicated.   
  
Eyes fully dilated and mouth frothing a mixture of saliva and   
blood, Yami-Yuugi limped to his knees, never taking his gaze off his   
opponent. He knew that Pegasus had the advantage in this domain.   
Though Yami-Yuugi too had a favourable battlefield, it was a far cry   
from this strange world full of loss and despair.   
  
Each inch of movement was a direct command of will power, the   
Yami rising painfully to his feet while his opponent waited with a   
cocky grin. Yami-Yuugi never stopped glaring. He _would_ defeat   
Pegasus, one way or another. Loss, death, hatred, despair - those   
emotions meant nothing to the Game King.   
  
Yes, the only way to defeat Pegasus was to force Pegasus into-  
  
Another blast of intensely concentrated Magic was fired, though   
this time, the Yami did not try to dodge but deliberately leapt in   
the projectile's path. The pain was every bit as intense as   
anticipated. Again, it wrenched the Yami's body, leaving him an   
empty, trembling husk.   
  
Finally, the pain withdrew to a familiar empty dizziness, and   
the Yami wavered for a few seconds before his mind returned to   
coherent thought.   
  
But this distraction was enough. For the blast of pain had also   
provided a barrier, wiping out his mental processing. And   
fortunately, a mind without thought was a mind that could not be   
read. Of course, what Pegasus could not read, he could not predict.   
  
The Game King was known for his resourcefulness, even in the   
most unfavourable conditions. And now, he exercised this single   
talent to its full potential, drawing his confidence from the other's   
hidden weakness.   
  
Tattered, torn, and barely standing, Yami-Yuugi surely did not   
appear triumphant or even hopeful. Yet, within his ancient revived   
soul lay a force trembling with anticipation; the trump card of the   
battle. The Millennium Puzzle, encouraged by the Game King's personal   
invigoration, began to once again re-work its Magic, glowing just   
slightly to prove its inhumane awareness.   
  
No longer did the Yami worry about Pegasus reading his mind.   
For each blast the Yami took ensured a barrier against Pegasus from   
his secret. It was a desperate strategy; one that gambled between the   
brink of life and death, but within it lay the only possibility the   
Game King had of winning.   
  
Pegasus chuckled, idly firing powerful waves of Spell Magic at   
his opponent, Millennium Eye glowing has he fixated his full   
attention in watching his prey squirm feebly.   
  
True enough, Yami-Yuugi had overtaxed his limits. Though his   
actual body had passed away several millennia ago, this new temporary   
one was far from powerful. He had lost his endurance, stamina, and   
rapid reflexes. Instead, all this was traded for another power, one   
foreign even to the Game King himself.   
  
It was a type of occult power, one shrouded in Dark Magic and   
ancient forbidden rituals. For with the blessings of this   
temporarily-created body also came requests - requests obeyed since   
the Yami's first encounter with his Aibou.   
  
First was the blood-lust: a persistent hunger always demanding   
to be satiated. Even now, as the Yami buckled and trembled   
uncontrollably under each devastating blow, he could feel the   
piercing cry of hunger. The hunger, however, had gratefully subdued   
since the beginning of the battle, currently gorging on his own   
blood. Yami-Yuugi had swallowed mouthfuls of this oddly pleasant   
fluid, though it did not drain his energy as anticipated but had the   
adverse effect of revitalizing him.   
  
... It was a stupid topic to speculate on, but it too had a   
purpose. In between the recovery time and Pegasus's next blast was an   
interval where any registered thinking was open to a mind probe. This   
was the part where the Yami's mental will was thoroughly tested and   
exercised. Battered both physically and mentally, Yami-Yuugi found   
himself once again re-assessing the tendrils of his resources. The   
Millennium Puzzle, sensing its owner's uncertainty, wavered and   
flickered slightly, losing some of its build-up of Magic.   
  
Another blast burned and sizzled against the Yami's side,   
charring his flesh until from the agony wafted a putrid aroma, sickly   
sweet. Cool, half-dry blood sluggishly oozed onto the burn, Yami-  
Yuugi involuntarily hissing at the stings.   
  
There just wasn't enough time. As resilient and defiant as the   
Game King could be, he knew for a fact now that his possibility of   
winning dropped with every second. The Millennium Puzzle simply could   
not invoke enough Magic in the allotted time to perform the needed   
Spell _without_ Pegasus noticing. Only sheer blind luck could twist   
the tables now. And somewhere, in that vague coherent space of   
allotted thought, Yami-Yuugi regretted overestimating his own   
condition. He could vaguely hear Pegasus laughing gleefully at that   
train of thought before he was blasted yet again.   
  
***************************************  
  
Seto Kaiba was, very frankly, pissed. Currently, he was stuck in a   
gigantic dark cavern, his only sense of refuge an aimless trek up and   
down the wall-less corridors. It had seemed like eons ago when he had   
first tried to escape this unusual dungeon, and unfortunately, every   
attempt had resulted in the same conclusion - the was _no_ escape.   
  
At least, not the conventional way. Upon coming to that   
conclusion, Kaiba retraced his steps, furrowing his rows in deep   
thought.   
  
First of all, he had no clue where he currently was. The   
mysterious opponent had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to   
conveniently stuff him in this "dungeon" before turning to fact the   
Game King. Vaguely, Kaiba wondered why Yami-Yuugi wasn't also brought   
to this strange domain.   
  
And it was at that very moment that Kaiba suddenly hit   
inspiration. He spent the next few moments berating himself of for   
his idiocy.   
  
Of course they wouldn't lock the Game King in _this_ place.   
Only fools dared to challenge the Game King on his own domain. And   
surely, enough, the leader of the Authority was no fool,   
understanding for a fact that the Game King in the Shadow Realm was   
like a fish in a sea of water.   
  
Now, how to find a way out? Here, Seto Kaiba was stumped.   
  
***************************************  
  
Yami-Yuugi dropped like a sac of rocks onto the ground. His   
entire body had shut down to the point where even a single breath   
became extensively complex and laborious to perform. Each gasp of air   
trickled slowly into his lungs, straining them just enough against   
his burning ribs before disappearing with a heavy sigh.   
  
It was over. He had taken a gamble with his last chance... and   
failed. The _Game King_ had failed.   
  
At long last, Pegasus, bored with his attacks, sauntered over   
to the Yami, face leering. He kicked the limp form of the Yami   
heavily a few times, eyes glinting in satisfaction when Yami-Yuugi   
responded with facial expressions of pain.   
  
"You've lost." Pegasus's voice confirmed the result. "How does   
it feel, _Game King_? How does it feel to know that you are   
defeatable and that your pathetic excuse for a Millennium Item has   
failed you?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi could feel his Puzzle flare hotly in response,   
though it too lacked the strength to move beyond a simple reaction.   
He brought a trembling hand to wipe the layers of caked and sweaty   
blood accumulating on his brows. Even though the Yami no longer had   
the strength to speak, he voiced his words in his mind, knowing that   
Pegasus's Millennium Eye would 'hear' the thoughts.   
  
'You're wrong, Pegasus. I do not use my Millennium Puzzle, I   
_am_ the Millennium Puzzle. The very reason I exist is because of   
this Puzzle, and together, we co-exist as one.'  
  
"Either way, it doesn't matter." Pegasus shrugged. "The   
legendary Millennium items give unlimited power to he whomever bears   
one. They are simply _items_, and cannot tell the difference."  
  
'There's more to the Items than just power,' Yami-Yuugi warned,   
'There Items have a purpose, and once this purpose is fulfilled, they   
too will leave this reality to take their final rest.'  
  
"I know very well the Legend that you speak of." The silver-  
haired man looked bored; disinterested. "Unlike the solid power and   
Magic of the Millennium Items, the Legend is a mere faerie's tale - a   
story to discourage the ancient struggles for power in the Shadow   
Realm."  
  
Pegasus once again circled the Yami, pacing slowly and   
deliberately like a tantalizing target around the exhausted Yami. "It   
was said that those who seek too much power in the Shadow Realm will   
be stopped by the keeper of the Millennium Items; the one with the   
Millennium Puzzle. Yet, here you are, _Game King_ bowing like a slave   
underneath my feet. Somehow, I highly doubt that you will be able to   
stop me from doing anything, less from taking over your precious   
Shadow Realm."  
  
Yami's temper flared hotly. 'Idiot! Abusing the power of the   
Shadow Realm will only lead to your own demise. I do not seek to   
protect it but to _destroy_ it, stopping the agony and pain it has   
caused once and for all.'  
  
"Good for you." Pegasus shrugged indifferently. "But you forget   
something. Once I have you destroyed, the Millennium Puzzle will   
belong to me, and I shall have unlimited access in tapping the power   
of the Shadow Realm. Yes, isn't that nice to know that you played   
right into my hands? Isn't it wonderful to finally realize that I had   
planned this all along?"  
  
Yami-Yuugi was no longer listening to Pegasus's rants. He was   
already lost in a puddle of self-beration and utmostly, despair. How   
could he have been so stupid? How could he even think of defeating   
the Authority right in their domain? He had thought that once he   
challenged the other to a Game in the Shadow Realm, his victory would   
be ensured.   
  
What he didn't account for was Pegasus never even leaving the   
sanctity of the Authority headquarters. Oh no - the leader of the   
Authority was smarter than that. Pegasus had been deliberately waited   
until his threats, namely the Game King, had been eradicated before   
making a move in the Shadow Realm. Therefore, not only did he have an   
advantage now, but he also had the added power of his soon-to-be   
acquired Millennium Puzzle. Victory could never be any simpler than   
that.   
  
"Good bye, Yu-gi-oh." The silver-haired man's voice again   
pierced the Yami's thoughts. He strutted over in front of his fallen   
opponent, leaning over and gracefully snatching the Millennium Puzzle   
with his cold fingers. For a single, brief moment, the Puzzle flared   
and glowed with indignation. Yet, the struggle was meaningless,   
Pegasus slipping the ancient Millennium piece from around Yami-  
Yuugi's neck, one hand clasped around its dull edges.   
  
Without the power of the Puzzle, Yami-Yuugi felt his last   
struggles towards consciousness failing. His body was fading away and   
his soul, no longer confined but defeated, fluttered like stardust   
back into the darkness it had escaped for so many years. The silence   
around him gave a deafening bellow. It surrounded the Yami,   
enshrouding his figure so that he appeared no more than a semi-  
transparent ghost.   
  
The Game King closed his eyes, heaving one more breath in   
desperate appreciation. It was strange, how much one valued life when   
they were suddenly confronted with the end. From that single strand   
of air, Yami-Yuugi could taste the essence of life, blowing   
delicately through his body, particles brimming with life and more   
importantly, reality. And slowly, every so reluctantly, the Yami   
withdrew his grasp on that precious keepsake.   
  
Just as Yami-Yuugi dismissed the last touch of life, his mind   
was suddenly pummeled by explosion of sensations.   
  
He saw his past as Pharaoh and his sacrifice for the Shadow   
Realm so long ago.   
  
He saw his present with Yuugi, and his love for the small,   
innocent boy.   
  
He saw a million, billion different images, all flashing in   
wild sequences.   
  
But last of all, he saw a small emerald-green field. There were   
children playing on the field, frolicking under an azure-blue sky.   
And even when the images disappeared, he heard the laughter of the   
children, echoing and ringing over the darkness.   
  
That much was eternal.   
  
******************************************  
  
"Stop right there!"  
  
Pegasus turned around, bemused eyes greeting several figures   
enshrouded by the partial darkness. Each one bore a non-descript   
cloak save the smallest figure in the center leading the miniature   
crowd. The silver-haired man shook his head, feigning an impression   
that bordered impatience and despair.   
"Oh no. Not some more intruders." Pegasus sighed, Millennium   
Eye glowing. "These days, a decent guy can't get any work done   
without people always intruding."  
  
Yuugi was slightly taken aback at Pegasus's strange behaviour.   
However, he immediately saw through the ploy, addressing the silver-  
haired man for what he was, and more, what he had done. Violet eyes   
glared accusingly at the leader of the Authority.   
"What have you done with Yami?"  
  
"Yami?" Pegasus brought a thoughtful finger to his mouth.   
"Who's that? I don't know of any Yami." He grinned, Millennium Eye   
glowing maliciously. "The last person I talked to was the Game King   
and I'm afraid he just left. Quite rude of him, don't you think?"  
  
Yuugi had never been considered an irrational boy. He had   
always been kind, decent, caring, and most of all, almost inhumanly   
conservative when it came to expressing emotions such as anger. Yet,   
now, just staring at this silver-haired man, Yuugi felt those long-  
absent feelings come pouring into his mind, filling it with   
unfathomable rage. The anger seethed and churned in his mind until he   
was all but trembling with its power.   
Trying to restrain this almost foreign emotion, Yuugi clenched   
his fists, digging his nails tightly into his palm while taking deep   
breaths. He closed his eyes, calming himself before attempting to   
speak again. Twin violet orbs bore like acid into their opponent's   
gaze, and for a moment, Pegasus seemed to shuffle uncomfortably under   
their inquisition.   
"What you have done is unforgivable." Yuugi's words were short   
and to the point.   
  
However, the silver-haired man was one who would not be   
intimidated by such a small and harmless boy. This was what Pegasus   
convinced himself of as he returned Yuugi's glare with a comical   
smile.   
"But, Yuugi-boy, I've been looking forwards to meeting you!"   
His voice was just perfectly conversational. "How about sitting down   
and having some cheese? I even have fruit juice back in that   
cupboard." He momentarily shot a hand towards a random area on the   
left.  
  
Yuugi glanced at the direction of Pegasus's hand, though he   
immediately berated himself for his idiocy. Pegasus was trying to   
distract him! As if to prove the point, there was nothing in that   
corner reminiscent of a cupboard, save an empty cage, perhaps one   
that once held a large animal. Yet, the cage was worn, like most of   
the material in the large hallway, reminding Yuugi of legends   
regarding ancient Medieval castles.   
  
It was then that Yuugi spotted the glowing Millennium Puzzle   
dangling from Pegasus's hand. The Puzzle seemed to glint just so   
slightly as Yuugi locked eyes with it. The small boy's hand   
immediately traveled to the identical Puzzle around his own neck.   
  
Pegasus, too, noted Yuugi's Puzzle. However, his expression was   
one of acknowledgment rather than confusion. In front of the eyes of   
every spectator, the silver-haired man began to walk circles around   
Yuugi. Each circle strayed the smaller boy further from the larger   
crowd, though his paces were subtle and all-too harmless.   
"Poor poor Yuugi." Pegasus spoke as he paced. "You've lost   
everything. But, I can give you power. I can _help_ you Yuugi." The   
silver-haired man grinned. "You sacrificed all this to earn the   
_truth_, didn't you? Well, now, I shall tell you the truth."  
  
Yuugi found himself slowly backing away from the menacing   
authoritative figure. He forced his mind to block the persuasive   
speech, casting mental barriers forged on his personal anger. This   
was the man that had deliberately killed his friends and destroyed   
his Yami. This was the _leader_ of the Authority; the very center of   
a deadly 'belief'.   
"What truth?" Yuugi spoke out loud. "I see no truth. All I see   
is one big ugly lie. The lie that you hide underneath your smiling   
face."  
  
Oddly enough, the other members of the fallen Club 0013   
remained silent, watching like mute puppets in the background.   
  
"Yes." Pegasus agreed, nodding amiably. "It is one big lie.   
Life is a lie the moment one starts it! All I wanted was a beautiful   
world, one where we could be equally happy and live in harmony and   
peace. For three-thousand years ago, the world was almost destroyed   
because we humans could not agree. And when we disagree, we fight   
against each other and hurt ourselves." Pegasus smiled winningly. "I   
was trying to prevent our new future from this pain. So, I created   
this society to help everyone. I was trying to do a favour for all of   
you!"  
  
Yuugi closed his eyes. From the corner of his mind, he could   
see the morose Ryou; bloodstained Anzu; the grinning, reckless   
Jounochi; and most of all, the missing link to his beloved Yami. He   
could see his father being dragged away from the Authority, and the   
charring remains of his house, ashes of his mother and grandfather   
blowing in the wind.   
  
And then, Yuugi laughed. He laughed a long and hard laugh, one   
full of bitterness and mirth. A sardonic smile played on the small   
boy's lips.   
"Why, thank you."  
  
Pegasus shook his head. "It just isn't befitting for one so   
young as you to worry so much. Why worry at all? You don't have a   
care for the world! Just be free!"  
  
Yuugi shrugged. "Well, I wanted to be free. Thanks to you, I   
can scratch out that idea."  
  
The silver-haired man took another few steps until he was   
dangerously close to the small boy. Now, his breaths came in harsher,   
tighter inhales, and there was a strange flare of insanity brimming   
in his single eye.   
"I really liked you, Yuugi Mutou." Pegasus smiled, playing with   
the words in a low murmur. "I thought you would appreciate what I had   
done for you. But since your ideas differ so greatly from mine, I   
guess I can't earn your respect anymore."  
  
"No," Yuugi agreed in a clipped voice, one oddly unlike   
himself. "You can't."  
  
Pegasus shrugged. "I don't need to."  
  
And suddenly, he lunged, grabbing the small boy in a by the   
neck. The silver-haired man was easily twice the size of his target,   
and he lifted the smaller boy with ease so that Yuugi hung, feet   
dangling in thin air, slim neck wedged in a tight choke.   
  
Yuugi turned pleading glassy eyes towards Setsuna and the   
others. Instead of leaping into action, the figures simply stood   
there, some of them fidgeting uncomfortably while others simply gazed   
like interested spectators. Why weren't they helping? Why wasn't this   
so-called opponent of the Authority, this so-called Club 0013   
helping?  
  
It didn't matter now - it was already too late. From the murky   
darkness emerged an even darker blotch. The emerging mass began to   
grow, pulsating and expanding shadowy tendrils on all sides of the   
grey room. As the pitch-black darkness touched these walls, they   
disappeared, leaving an infinite expanse of shadows.  
  
Yuugi was suddenly released, falling to the ground with a   
silent thump. He quickly recovered his senses, scurrying along the   
surface until he was a good distance away from the other. From there,   
he watched, tense baleful eyes never leaving Pegasus's face.   
  
The silver-haired man simply smiled, a not-too-friendly smile.   
"Do you know where we are, Yuugi?" He questioned, not even pausing to   
wait for an answer. "This is the infamous Shadow Realm. The very   
place that your Yami sacrificed himself for so many years ago before   
being locked into the Millennium Puzzle."  
  
Yuugi's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean?" He found   
himself having more curiousity than he should.   
  
In response to the smaller boy's curiosity, Pegasus only   
laughed. "You should have asked your Yami when you had the chance!   
But seeing how the Game King is gone now, why does it really matter?"  
  
"Then why did you bring me here?" The small boy clenched his   
fists, bracing his form against the other. There were only the two of   
them in this place; everyone else had been left behind.   
  
Pegasus shrugged. "It's simple. I just want to challenge you to   
a little Game."  
  
Anger gave Yuugi the courage he normally lacked. "Make your   
Game, Pegasus. I'll play."  
  
"Yes." Pegasus repeated. "Of course you will play, if you want   
to escape this place." He glanced at Yuugi's minute form with   
amusement. "The Game will be a very familiar one - called Duel   
Monsters."  
  
Yuugi looked at Pegasus with apprehensive eyes. "I don't have a   
deck, -." It was at that moment that Yuugi realized that he didn't   
know the other's name.   
  
"You can call me 'Maximillion Pegasus'." The silver-haired man   
replied, not missing a beat. His Millennium Eye glowed slightly from   
under the veil of silvery bangs.   
  
The ground underneath the small boy shifted, a gigantic shadowy   
podium rising from its smooth surface. Yuugi started as the podium   
continued to grow, detaching itself from the ground to form a dull,   
flat surface at the very top. On the surface rested a deck of Duel   
Monsters cards.   
  
Pegasus waved his hand dismissedly. "I found those just a while   
ago. You may use them, since I believe they once were yours."  
  
Now more puzzled than startled, Yuugi picked up the deck of   
cards, noting how the podium quickly shriveled into shadows the   
moment the cards left its surface. He quickly scoured through the   
newly acquired deck. Every card was just as anticipated; an exact   
replica of his own deck down to the very last card.   
Yuugi looked up and faced Pegasus. "Fine. Let's duel."  
  
The silver-haired man grinned, summoning a deck of his own from   
another shadowy podium. He then began shuffling his deck, humming an   
abstract tune to himself.   
  
A thought suddenly occurred to the small boy. How exactly were   
they supposed to play without a table or elevation of some sort to   
set the cards on? Puzzled, Yuugi could only hold his own deck,   
shuffling it absent-mindedly while watching the other. Despite the   
confusion, a turbid anger was still seething in his mind, filling it   
with hatred and most of all, a desire for revenge.   
  
"My turn first." Pegasus proclaimed, drawing from the deck the   
typical set of five cards. He then ho-hummed and harrumphed a few   
times before finally choosing one and putting it into play. "Well, it   
looks like all I have is this Red Archer Girl in attack mode." He   
threw the card straight at the ground, watching it glow and expand,   
warping into a life-size replica of the very creature it represented.   
This all-too-real card glanced momentarily at her master, impatiently   
twiddling with her bow and quiver while watching Yuugi make a move.   
  
Yuugi, however, was frozen stiff. His mind immediately relapsed   
into a state of shock, especially as he realized that the card on   
front of him, the card that Pegasus played, was all too real. The   
familiar fear began to consume him once again, forcing the small boy   
into a state of relapse.   
  
~~It was a gigantic monstrosity, a good twenty feet in height,   
all black armour and flashing claws. From its sinuous back arched a   
pair of large, brittle wings, also the same ebony hue. The only other   
colour flashing on this beast was the glowing red of its menacing   
eyes.   
  
The black dragon roared, opening its wickedly curved mouth to   
reveal layer upon layer of large serrated teeth. From its jaws shot a   
brilliant stream of intense fire, the heat all-too unbearable.   
  
But most of all, this beast seemed to laugh at Yuugi, laughing   
as it drained all of the small boy's energy. Again, it shot another   
stream of flame; and this time, Yuugi could feel the strain the   
dragon demanded from its "master".   
  
He didn't even have enough energy to scream before he was   
forced into unconsciousness. ~~  
  
"No." Yuugi echoed, backing away from Pegasus and his card. "I-  
I.." Tears brimmed around his eyes, making them seem a luminescent   
crystal-grey instead of its normal violet hue. He continued to   
stutter and tremble, knees buckling weakly as his mind continued to   
feed on the uncertainty and fear. "Not this again..."  
  
~~The Red Eyes Black Dragon roared, teeth flashing a lustrous   
ebony. It opened its jaws, baring its teeth.... ~~  
  
"If you won't fight, then you will have to forfeit." Pegasus   
proclaimed, voice jeering. "Such a pity, really. I expected a   
magnificent battle, coming from someone like you."  
  
Part of Yuugi didn't want to give up. That part urged him to   
fight back, to be relentless to this _murderer_ in front of him. Yet,   
it was quickly swallowed up by the greater mass of fear. Yuugi bowed   
his head in shame. "I-I-forfei-"  
  
Suddenly, a blast of white light shot through the battlefield.   
The crackle of electric-white light eventually disappeared, leaning   
behind a pair of shocked faces. Actually, Pegasus's face was more   
enraged than surprised, and he fixed his livid expression at a point   
some odd meters away from the left of Yuugi.   
  
There, in the shadows, walked a tall form. He wore a long blue   
trench coat that flared from waist-down like a cape. However, it was   
not him that had caught Yuugi and Pegasus alike off guard. For behind   
the lean brown-haired boy stood a gigantic behemoth of a dragon. It   
was a pure white, glowing like chrome moonshine. Fixated in the   
center of its head was a pair of brightly burning sapphire eyes.   
  
The newly-arrived figure turned to fixate his half-stare at   
Yuugi. "Yuugi. This is your last chance to prove anything. If you   
give up now, then everything else you have done will be in vain." The   
brown-haired boy put a hand on the flank of his dragon. Dull, almost   
lifeless cobalt eyes glared inquiringly at Yuugi. "Is it really worth   
it, Yuugi? Just this one moment of fear? Will you back away when you   
have conquered so many other fears already?"  
  
The small boy took a deep breath, regarding the brown-haired   
youth now standing beside him. Yuugi realized that he knew this   
person - this was the Seto Kaiba whom his Yami had acknowledged.   
Another memory of his Yami brought a pang to his heart, though he   
quickly suppressed it, and instead, focused on the question at hand.   
Was he strong enough? Was he brave enough?  
  
No. Yuugi knew the answer long before he realized it. In   
reality, he was neither brave, nor strong, nor powerful. Those   
elements were all illusions to a deceptive confidence. True, Yuugi   
possessed some Magic and some determination, but they were a far cry   
from the strength needed to defeat this opponent. Instead, the small   
boy sought for something else, something past his personal   
boundaries.   
  
Friendship.   
  
They were all dead now - Ryou, Anzu, Jounochi, Honda, and   
finally, Yami. Some part of Yuugi's mind made the connection that   
this mysterious brown-haired youth was not going to live long either.   
And yet, it did not mean that they had disappeared from existence;   
their very essence still thrived in the small boy's memory. Yuugi   
could remember his love for each one as clearly as if they were   
standing beside him. And it was that love, that hope, that   
friendship, that he convinced himself to rely on.   
  
Yuugi took a deep breath, one hand clutching his Millennium   
Puzzle for support. He turned his determined expression towards his   
long-sought for nemesis. "Yes, Pegasus. I will fight."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Seto Kaiba watched the entire battle play in front of him,   
muscles not even daring to quiver. His mind, mingled with artificial   
systems equivalent to a supercomputer, calculated every result, and   
analyzed every aspect of the battle. And even then, Seto Kaiba found   
himself captivated by each and every move.   
  
Yuugi had initially sent out Celtic Guardian, only to have the   
elvish swordsman defeated with a single arrow of the Archer Girl. The   
small boy had taken the brunt of the attack well; he wasted not even   
a single second before summoning his next card and laying another   
face down.  
  
Pegasus flickered only a casual glance at the boy's Summoned   
Skull, pulling out a Toon Mermaid card and placing it casually in   
attack mode.   
  
The techno-magician was puzzled by the move. Why would anyone   
want to place such a weak card in attack mode, without any barriers?   
Kaiba immediately smelt a trap.  
  
Fortunately, Yuugi seemed to be having the same internal   
debate, calling his Feral Imp in defense before attacking with his   
Summoned Skull.   
  
The Red Archer Girl was easily defeated, and so were a good   
portion of the opponent's life points. And even then, Pegasus was   
still grinning, still humming to himself.   
  
If Kaiba was Yuugi, he would sweat too.   
  
***********************************  
  
For a long interval, Yuugi wondered if Pegasus was deliberately   
provoking him. The other was sending out several weak monsters in   
attack, resulting not only to loss on the opponent's life points, but   
also to the destruction of several decent monsters. And worse of all,   
Pegasus barely even grunted at the impact of the pain. It was as if   
he felt nothing of the destruction of his creatures.   
  
However, Yuugi could feel all-too-clearly the incredible power   
of the Shadow Realm. Now, the darkness seemed to swallow his energy   
in gulps, consuming his power and Magic voraciously while demanding a   
continuous effort to keep the allotted monsters alive. The sheer   
mental strain of keeping even two monsters on the field was proving   
to be too much for the small boy.   
  
Yuugi put a hand to his forehead to steady his reeling senses,   
entire body trembling with exhaustion. The cards held by his firmly   
clenched hands began to quiver and shake uncontrollably, his   
breathing shuddering in the same irregular gasps.   
  
Pegasus too, seemed to note the suffering. He only grinned,   
Millennium Eye flashing triumphantly while his other hand held the   
dangling cord strapped to the Millennium Puzzle.   
"What's the matter, Yuugi-boy?" He began to jeer, face no   
longer carefully coveted. "You seem a little...exhausted."  
  
The scarlet-haired boy tried to ignore the jeering and   
taunting, focusing on the cards in his hand. Yet, even as he tried to   
think, the Shadow Realm diverted his focus to its demands. It's dark   
energy threatened to swallow him alive, drawing on his limited power   
like a thick lead chain strapped around his neck. Yuugi could no   
longer focus on anything but the consistent hunger for energy,   
seeking to feed it, to satisfy it enough to allow his monsters to be   
played.   
  
His body quivered with fatigue, buckling and swaying weakly   
from side to side. The world around him was wavering, blurring into a   
huge mess of colours and sounds before re-focusing for only a few   
precious seconds. Yuugi's hand quaked uncontrollably, spilling some   
of the cards in his hand. Yet, the most telltale sign lay etched in   
his face; void of all colour, silent parted lips trembling at every   
breath. Taking a few breaths to steady himself, Yuugi forced his next   
card onto the field. "I-I..." He gasped, gulping in ungainly amounts   
of air, "I play the ... Dark Magician, in attack mode."  
  
The familiar card, a long favourite of Yuugi's, materialized   
onto the field from the darkness around it, decked in its regal   
violet armour and staff. However, the magician's attention was not   
fixated on its opponent's card but rather on his own master. With the   
added bonus of maintaining the Dark Magician, Yuugi found that he no   
longer had the energy to support himself, falling to his knees while   
desperately fighting to retain consciousness.   
  
"Yuugi, Yuugi, Yuugi." Pegasus sighed and shook his head as his   
own Toon Mermaid was destroyed, again not even fazed. The silver-  
haired man put a hand to his forehead in mock disdain. "You have   
disappointed me so. I was expecting an entertaining an tough battle,   
and this is all you can give me?" The man's voice began to burn into   
Yuugi's mind, a brandish of pain and humiliation. "You have failed,   
Yuugi. You can't defeat me, and you never will."  
  
Despite the jeering and taunting, Yuugi focused his attention   
only towards the Duel and more importantly, in maintaining his   
monsters. He knew that the moment his defenses were broken, he would   
be prone to attack. Yes, now it dawned on the small boy. In the   
Shadow Realm, there were no actual "life points". The life of the   
player himself determined the outcome of the Duel.   
  
Now, Pegasus non-chalantly drew his next card, examining it   
with a bemused expression before tossing it face-down on the field.   
He then called his Toon Mermaid into attack mode, blasting apart the   
Feral Imp with a single shrug.   
  
Yuugi again felt the brunt of the attack, the sudden pain   
slicing through his body to force a path through his internal organs   
like a gigantic invisible blade. The small boy doubled over in pain,   
curling into a fetal ball to minimize the intense throbbing lancing   
through his body and head. He could vaguely hear someone repeating   
his name, the sound desperate and unconvincing. And, as he lay on the   
ground, chest heaving trembling gasps, he wondered why he was   
fighting in the first place. What has his purpose anyway? Even   
powerful emotions such as revenge, betrayal, death, hatred, love,   
passion - those were only words; they alone had no meaning.   
  
And even life had no meaning.   
  
Yuugi closed his eyes. Yes, this was the end. The entire   
struggle had been hopeless and inevitable. He should stop struggling   
and just give up.   
  
The laughter grew until it spilled through the muffled confines   
of the Shadow Realm, echoing and reverberating against invisible   
barriers. A triumphant grin lit across the silver-haried man's face.   
His Millennium Eye still glowing, Pegasus drew his next card,   
gratefully setting it aside in his hand. His lips were twisted in   
barely contained pleasure as he watched the boy whimper and finally   
collapse in a small heap on the ground, lids half shut in exhaustion.   
"Now, the card which will end the Duel and give me my final   
triumph!" Pegasus shouted, his face bathed in an expression of   
insanity and delight. He flickered his hand slightly, forcing the   
face-down card on his portion of the field to suddenly swell and   
burst into life.   
  
The newly-summoned creature was absolutely grotesque. At first   
glance, it seemed like a gigantic blob, size comparable to twice that   
of the Blue Eyes. However, its bulk was a solid dull-white, gleaming   
like dried bones, complete with a network of bulging sacs and holes   
across its shell-like exterior. In the center of the "monster" lay a   
single eye, protruding from a thin cord-like substance to stare   
balefully at its opponent. Somewhere, the monster had sprouted a pair   
of slimy wings, and elsewhere, a set of bony claws. Now, the monster   
advanced a few squelching steps towards Yuugi's monsters, single eye   
bobbing up and down furiously as it moved.   
  
Pegasus laughed as he saw the look of disgust creep into   
Yuugi's faint expression. "You don't like my monster?" He mock-  
taunted. "But it's my absolute _favourite_. In fact, I created it   
just for you! I call it, 'Relinquished'!"  
  
Yuugi simply stared placidly at the grotesque creation, his   
horrified expression again returning to one of defeat. He continued   
to stare sideways at the creature, barely flinching at its low,   
grinding growl.   
  
Though Yuugi had been defeated, Pegasus knew that the other,   
Seto Kaiba, was still watching. Since the silver-haired man   
absolutely _hated_ wasting a good show, he immediately set his   
monster into attack mode, triggering its special effect.   
"True, Relinquished might have an attack and defense of zero,   
but you'll find its special attack to _die_ for."  
  
Obeying its master's every whim, the Relinquished suddenly drew   
its bulk to a massive height. From its lower half parted a gigantic   
gaping hole, larger than twice the height of Pegasus himself. Then,   
the creature gave a massive sigh, body shriveling considerably before   
it suddenly began sucking in massive amounts of air with its gigantic   
mouth. The result was an intense vacuuming effect, drawing anything   
even remotely near the monster into its mouth.   
  
Unfortunately, the Summoned Skull was the closest creature to   
the vacuum, falling into the massive pit with a dismayed cry of   
surprise. And even then, Relinquished didn't stop.   
  
Slowly, ever so slowly on its large, bulky mass, the creature   
advanced towards Yuugi. Before it executed its vacuuming effect, it   
seemed to wave its single eye tauntingly at the small boy, daring him   
to make a comeback; daring him to struggle.   
  
However, Yuugi had already had enough. He wasn't afraid, nor   
hurt, nor any emotion possible. He just simply did not care anymore.   
And, as the creature breathed in a huge sigh, consuming everything in   
its vicinity, Yuugi let it come. He let the massive amounts of air   
tug and shove his small frame towards the large, gaping hole. He did   
this, knowing that it was the end. It was over.   
  
A heavy force suddenly slammed into the small boy's limp frame.   
It was a powerful force; strong enough to shove Yuugi directly out of   
the Relinquished's path of destruction and back onto the smooth   
ground several meters away.   
  
Surprised, Yuugi shot his eyes wide open, forcing his pain-  
filled body to stare at the intruder. His large violet eyes just had   
enough time to glimpse a single, slim figure, standing directly in   
the path of the beast. The figure's cobalt-blue eyes burned with   
anger and determination, and behind him, his Blue Eyes White Dragon   
screamed and roared in surprise, tearing at the fabric around it to   
reach its master one last time.   
  
It was too late. Only milliseconds later, Seto Kaiba was sucked   
into the massive gaping hole, figure disappearing into the darkness   
forever.   
  
There was a moment of silence as the Relinquished digested its   
prey; body churning furiously in a rhythmic whirl. From its   
multitudes of pores oozed a fine layer of crimson blood, dripping   
down its ivory-white sides like jagged wounds against its brittle   
flesh. But this blood was not the creature's blood. It was a very   
human type of blood. An unclaimed scarlet liquid that no longer   
belonged to anyone.   
  
Yuugi felt himself crying once again. He saw behind him, the   
magnificent Blue Eyes White Dragon give a last shrieking bellow   
before shattering into billions of particles. Why had Kaiba done   
this? Yuugi had done the other no favours - he barely even knew this   
strange, brown-haired boy.   
  
Now, it was the Dark Magician's turn to stare at Yuugi with   
pain-filled eyes. Monsters were not supposed to feel emotions. They   
were simply flat, lifeless cards, twisted into creation by a means of   
Magic only. Yet, the Dark Magician appeared only too-human, casting   
one last pleading look at the small boy before turning to brace his   
lone frame against the hulking leviathan of the Relinquished.   
  
And Yuugi continued to cry, sobbing in desperation at the last   
attempt. The crimson blood still oozing down the Relinquished's side   
reminded him of a passion once abandoned.   
  
Again, Yuugi asked himself that single question. Why did he   
fight?   
  
But this time, all the small boy had to do was remember the   
look of determination on Seto Kaiba's face, a determination   
reflecting not only that single individual but also so many that   
sacrificed themselves before him. Because, before they had died, they   
had all shared that single answer.   
  
Hope.   
  
Even dying, they had all believed in hope.   
  
The small boy slowly drew himself up from the ground. True, his   
body still trembled with exhaustion, and the Shadow Realm still   
heavily scarred his energy, but somewhere, he knew that his passion -   
a passion for hope - was still burning.   
  
All these emotions, all these consequences, all these   
sacrifices, and it had come down to this.   
  
Pegasus laughed, drawing his Relinquished in for another   
attack.   
  
The massive creature obediently opened its gaping mouth,   
revealing the chasm within its deadly frame.   
  
The Dark Magician braced himself for the attack, putting   
himself directly in front of his master.   
  
And, it was then, as the gigantic whirl of air came once again   
to claim the last standing monster, that Yuugi solved the last piece   
of the puzzle.   
  
******************************************  
  
At first, it looked like Pegasus had won. There was a chaotic   
whirl of darkness, and the familiar sound of the Relinquished drawing   
in its prey. And yet, when the noise and blur of colours finally   
ceased, there lay, standing deliberately in front of the gigantic   
skull-like beast, the Dark Magician. Like a timeless statue, his   
stature remained stock-still, stave poised in one hand.   
  
And then, there was Yuugi. The small boy was no longer slumped   
against the ground, but had risen to his full stature. He bore his   
petite figure with an invisible radiance, eyes shining with power and   
light. Situated around the small boy, in a perfect circle, were five   
different objects. Each object sparkled with their individual light;   
a beautiful glow which spread to touch each other and eventually, the   
small boy in the center. A Ring, a Tauk, a Rod, a Scale, and an Ankh.   
  
And in the center of them all, the Millennium Puzzle.   
  
Pegasus's eyes widened in disbelief. "No! That's not possible!"   
He screeched, clawing his face in agitation. "How could he have the   
other Millennium Items?"  
  
However, the Millennium Items were not Yuugi's. They had no   
master, and they obeyed no one. Just like the Shadow Realm itself,   
each Millennium Item demanded a price for their power. So now, as   
Yuugi tapped into their limitless Magic, he could feel each of the   
items tugging and tearing at his soul, wringing apart his very   
essence. His mind screamed in internal agony as he could literally   
feel each item pry, claw-like, into his body. It was as if someone   
had stuck each of his nerves into a pool of molten lava while   
continually pummeling his battered body with load upon load of   
invisible blunt projectiles.   
  
The pain was intolerable, but the power it provided was   
unlimited. Yuugi forced his way through the barrier or agony, opening   
his wide amethyst eyes to glare directly at the man who had been the   
sole cause of his misfortune. He glared at Pegasus with hate-filled   
eyes, eyes filled with longing for revenge.   
"Pegasus, you're finished."  
  
But Pegasus refused to believe the truth. His Millennium Eye   
began to glow a fierce golden sheen, but it was immediately repressed   
by the power of the other Millennium items. Screaming in desperate   
rage, the silver-haired man laughed maniacally, urging his   
Relinquished to attack.   
  
Yuugi was already prepared. From his hand, he took out two   
single cards. And from there, time seemed to work itself in slow   
motion.   
  
"I play the Dark Magic Ritual Card!" Yuugi heard himself scream   
amidst the roars and echoes. His sole purpose was firmly imprinted in   
his mind. "And I use my Brain Control magic card to take control of   
your Relinquished. Now, I shall sacrifice both your Relinquished and   
my Dark Magician to make room for my new monster."  
  
Here, Yuugi turned his fierce amethyst eyes towards the other.   
Even in anger, they seemed almost unnaturally soft and repressed. "Do   
you know what card I have created, Pegasus? Surely, you must know,   
since you invented this game."  
  
Pegasus said nothing, though the expression imprinted on his   
face was more than obvious. Both his hands lay clenched in tight   
fists, trembling with unconfined fury. His single eye was livid,   
glowing with pain.   
  
Yet, there was something else. Despite the desperate attempt to   
hide it, Yuugi could see the familiar expression all too well.   
  
Defeat. Pegasus knew he was defeated. And he could only watch,   
a growing helplessness emerging from his once-perfected mass, as the   
Chaos Mage emerged from the glowing chasm of the Ritual. This elegant   
figure arched its back, twirling its staff in rapid circles as if to   
prove its worth. It was indeed a beautiful card, bedecked in pure   
black, light turquoise skin eerie and slightly haunting. Though no   
larger than the former Dark Magician, just the glowing eyes of this   
Mage crackled with power.   
  
Fed by the energy of both the Millennium Items and his own   
personal desire for revenge, Yuugi beckoned his Chaos Mage. The small   
boy nodded to acknowledge his card before turning to glare full force   
at Pegasus.   
  
Pegasus. The leader of the Authority. The one who had brought   
all this pain and suffering in his greed and deceit. It was _he_ who   
had created the false utopia; he who had destroyed so many lives in   
his conquest for power.   
  
There was no doubt about it.   
  
Yuugi said nothing, though his finger pointed to the silver-  
haired man.   
  
Pegasus was evil.   
  
"Chaos Mage, destroy-"  
  
But Pegasus had disappeared. Instead, someone else had taken   
the leader of the Authority's place.   
  
She faced Yuugi, twin wings extended on a glorious flurry of   
white feathers, burnished gold hair strewn across her face in   
tattered desperation. Though her face seemed battered and worn, there   
was a permanent glimmer of determination in her eyes, matching the   
insignia of a single crescent moon burnished on her forehead.  
  
And Yuugi faltered, dropping the Millennium Puzzle, not even   
noticing when it fell with a heavy clunk onto the ground, Magic   
forever lost.   
  
*******************************************  
  
~Angels are said to have wings. Beautiful, brilliant wings of   
purest white, soft and downy to the touch, glittering like virgin   
snow. They are said to have a golden radiance and bring with their   
gaze a sense of perfect serenity.   
  
If this was true, then Mutou Yuugi had just seen an angel.   
  
She came to him, walking silently on feet that never touched   
the ground; her light, fragile body borne by large wings a swan would   
envy. Long golden hair fluttered like twin streaks behind her, tied   
from the top in equally symmetrical buns. A single crescent moon   
glittered on her forehead, and her eyes were the purest of sapphire.   
  
Yet, it was not her beauty nor angelic peace that enraptured   
Yuugi so much. There was something about her, something ageless,   
almost priceless. For a moment, she held her gaze towards Yuugi,   
looking at him with eyes that pierced his deepest thoughts. A tingle   
ran through the young boy's body as she continued to gaze into him,   
and he squirmed, writhing uncomfortably under her inspection. It was   
as if she was ruthlessly rendering his every memory and action, eyes   
leaving nothing behind as she judged his soul. And then, as fast as   
it came, it was over.   
  
Yuugi gasped, gulping in heavy breaths of air as he dared   
himself to breathe again. His large violet eyes stared in both awe   
and fear at this angel.   
  
And the angel stared at him with solemn unchanging eyes.   
  
: You have failed: ~  
  
  
End   
  
  
***********************************************  
  
End notes:   
  
I shall leave the _real_ ones to the "end notes/extra stuff chapter   
at the very end. Hmm.. I guess I'll have to add some bonuses to make   
it interesting ^_~  
  
Thank you Yami-kun, for pointing out Blue Eye's "White Lightning"   
attack. I shall correct it, when I get my mind to it. And XD, thanks   
for the review, though I believe that other fanfic writers deserve   
the compliment more than I do ^^=  
  
As you can see, this chapter was badly edited, and poorly written. I   
apologize for any inconveniences. Oh, and Katarik? I have no clue why   
Yami spared Seto. I think it was because I needed him in the plot   
line later on. XD.   
  
Eevee muse: What?!?! You told me it was because Seto and Yami had   
meet Millennia ago, and had an established friendly rivalry with each   
other!!  
  
Zoo: Oh... yeah.... ^^() Darn! Why didn't you tell me earlier?  
  
Eevee muse: ... 


	14. End notes and Extra Stuff

Final End notes:  
  
Well, here it is, lying before you. Thirteen chapters, and 150 pages of work, size ten font. Enough to drive my MS Word insane (I think Spell Check shut down on about the 11th chapter).   
  
My thanks go to Snare-chan, Katarik, Yami-kun (are you going to start another of your humorous ficcies? I like 'em very much ^^=), Icy Blue, "anonymous", FC (WAH! I'm working on the other fic!), Starr night, EmeraldPhoenix524 (o.O;; one your faves? *blushes furiously*), Pawprintz, Melinda (Sorry to hear about your grandfather ;_;), Jade j.j, Yeld and Yyeld ( o_o... Erm.. I don't even think _I_ redited my fic that many times!), K-chan, FlameRaven (yesh, Sailor Moon might just be 'evil'), Kaitou, NC, Cruzer, Bakura's angel (sorry, I'll be nicer to Bakura on my next ficcie ^^=), Meridith T Tasaki, Sailor Chibi, Kuroi Azarashi, Suppi, Digigirl132, Gyakutenno Megami (I have that card! XD), Dagger, jenniyah, lunatic lisa, Yami blue, Shadow weaver and Akira, and Saendie. Arigatou for spending some time to add your comments in a review.   
  
Special thanks go directly to Myst-Lady. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have started fanfiction writing! Thank you so much for supporting me this far, and best of luck to your fics (hope you got rid of that writer's block). Again, another arigatou goes to Atarashii-san, who, although she doesn't read this fic anymore, brought me to meet so many other nice fanfic authors! Oh.. and for chatting about Neopets 99% of the time XD. Madame Ruby and Fiery Charizard - keep up the great work! You guys both have great potential. And speaking of Snare-chan, I'm reading your "Ring of Ice" right now as I (try) to type this.   
  
Of course, no fic is complete without its inspirations. This fic has been mainly inspired by the anime movie, "Ghost in the Shell". For anyone who has never seen it, it is a MUST SEE!! Also, the Authority idea is inspired by "The Giver", though I just figured out that the term "Authority" is also used in "The Amber Spyglass" of the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy. That was unintentional ^^(). AND YES PEOPLES, I _WILL_ GO AND READ 1984 !!!! *huffs*  
  
Lastly is the "trailer" section for my next ficcie ^_^=. But before I do, I just wanted to mention that if you were confused by the ending, give me a mail at chibizoo@yahoo.com, and I'll do a synopsis for ya! I'm leaving on a vacation to China and Japan (whee!) on August 14th, so I'll have plenty of time to write ficcies, though I wont be able to post them ;_;. Anyone got any fanfic requests? I'd love to do some ^^=. Wah hah! *bonks self*. Who am I kidding? XD   
  
Well, till the next fic, JA!  
  
~ Signing out, Zoo  
  
  
Eevee muse: HEY! You didn't mention any credits about me!  
  
Zoo: Erm... thank you?  
  
Eevee muse: You better! Now bow down to me and worship me!  
  
Zoo: o.O;;; Yesh.... Eevee muse.... *bows down*  
  
Eevee muse: That's Eevee muse -SAMA for you!  
  
Zoo: -_-;; hai hai.. Eevee muse-SAMA!  
  
*********************trailer preview**************************  
  
  
~~~ There comes a time......~~~~  
  
The door opened ever so slowly, cracking a single splinter of light through the thick darkness. Slowly, a pair of large amethyst eyes peered from the crack into the shadows below.   
  
"Come in." A gruff voice proclaimed from inside the dark room. There was a scuffle and a click before the darkness suddenly burst into dim light, revealing a thin humanoid figure standing in the center. Upon realizing that the door hadn't moved since the splinter of opening, the creature harrumphed again, flat reptilian eyes boring into the pair of meek amethyst ones half-hidden behind the door. "I said - come in!"  
  
~~~~ .... When Legends become harsher than reality ~~~~  
  
Slowly, ever so painfully, the door opened. There stood, in the doorframe a petite figure, smaller even than some of the rat-humans. He had a crown of dazzling scarlet hair, complete with jagged gold bangs. His face was a smooth, creamy complexion, not even a single blemish warping his fragile face.   
  
The other humanoid hissed as he took a good look at the figure in front of him.   
  
~~~~What would you do...~~~~~  
  
"S-someone told me to come and see you." The figure murmured, bowing his head so that the golden bangs covered his frightened expression. "Th-they told me that-"  
  
"-Yes." The other interrupted, quickly stepping behind the figure to firmly close the door. "I remember now." He sighed, closing his eyes. Finally, the time had come. After all those years, after all this waiting, the single precious instrument was finally in his hands.   
  
~~~~ ... if you were the last? ~~~~  
  
The small figure gulped loudly as he felt the cold reptilian eyes analyze him like a prized possession. Yet, a part of him knew this was the truth. He was invaluable, undisposable, and most of all, the last hope any of them had. They had all warned him of this before escorting him here.   
  
~~~~~ From the creator of "Club 0013".... ~~~~~  
  
"So..." The reptile-human sat back on his desk, tongue flickering slightly against his lips. "You are..." His voice trailed off, throat constricting from both excitement and awe.   
  
~~~~~~.... Comes a new revolutionary epic ~~~~~  
  
At long last, the small figure looked up. He was still scared, but there was a strange glint of determination in his crystal-clear eyes. Slowly, ever so slowly, he nodded, feeling a slight weight rise and fall in his chest.   
  
~~~~... that might warp your reality ~~~~~~~~  
  
"Yes. I am the last human."  
  
  
~~~~~ "XX09"  
  
Coming this Fall ~~~~~~ 


End file.
